


Part I: Colony

by ButterflyBunny



Series: Before The Solstice [1]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Advance Technology, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Ambushes and Sneak Attacks, Amnesia, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arranged Marriage, Bathing/Washing, Brothels, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Drinking, Drinking & Talking, F/M, Fantasizing, Gladiators, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Inappropriate Erections, It's Like Mad Max Meets Blade Runner Meets Waterworld, Jane Foster Needs a Hug, Kissing, Light Angst, Masturbation, Masturbation in Shower, Medication, Memories, Menstruation, Mild Sexual Content, My First Work in This Fandom, Nightmares, No Robots Though, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, POV Bucky Barnes, POV Jane Foster, Post apocalyptic future, Post-Apocalypse, Post-War, Repressed Memories, Romance, Sexual Content, Sexual Fantasy, Sexual Inexperience, Sexual Tension, Slavery, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Strippers & Strip Clubs, Technology, Temporary Amnesia, Touching, World War IV, cliffhanger ending, fighter bucky, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-26
Updated: 2017-11-01
Packaged: 2018-12-07 03:52:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 64,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11615319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ButterflyBunny/pseuds/ButterflyBunny
Summary: After World War IV left humanity in the brink of extinction, the remainder of civilization built colonies to separate themselves from the ruins of what now is called the Old World.James "Bucky" Barnes is an arena fighter knows as the Winter Soldier, who has lived half his life trapped within the walls of Arcadia, the leading colony of the New World. He knows he doesn't belong there, but he can't remember his past. Now, at twenty five he's finally ready to escape, to search for his origin place and answers of his past. His plans are ruined when Alexander Pierce, High Commander of Arcadia, rewards him for his 100th win with a woman who seems to be hiding more that just her name.





	1. The Reward

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! So I finally decided to post this. I wrote it over a year ago as a one shot after reading a few amazing fics and shipping these two. It ended up getting bigger and bigger until I wrote over 15 chapters so I decided to continue. I really hope you enjoy this, please feel free to point out any mistakes since my first language isn't english and there must be a few.

The crowd erupts into applause and cheers as he dives the sharp edge of the blade into the man’s chest, until he feels the warm blood drench his hand and feet. He looks at the balcony, where Alexander Pierce, the High Commander of Arcadia, stands up and claps looking amused as the crowd chants his name over and over, asking for him to order the fight to be ended. Someone hands the man a microphone and Pierce's voice then comes out of the speakers surrounding the arena.

The crowd goes quiet but his ears are still buzzing. Pierce smiles and he hears him say his name, ordering him to finish him.

He feels a heavy hand over his own and he looks down at Felix, with whom he had shared a drink less than a week ago and had asked Bucky to kill him if they were ever put in the Pit together – Felix didn’t have anyone, he was old and he would be soon “retired” – he offers him a small nod. Go ahead. Bucky pulls back the blade and holds him tighter by the back of his neck, the crowd goes mad and he looks at Pierce when he slides Felix’s throat open. A mercy kill, Bucky tells himself, and Felix looks almost grateful before the light leaves his eyes.

The body falls heavy on his feet.

He leaves the Pit then, covered in blood, sweat, and dirt, not wanting to see how the people jump into the arena to rip apart the body laying there despite the guards trying to stop them. There is no respect for the defeated Legionary, the low-lives from the Slums left that very clear whenever a fighter died in the Pit. All the Legionaries knew that, so before they went into the arena they swore that death would be quick if the crowd – and Pierce – ordered so. Death was better than living the rest of their lives working as slaves in the Barracks once they couldn’t fight anymore. Although is not like they are not prisoners of something either way. 

He walks towards the showers ignoring the calls from Zola, the owner of the Pit and the one responsible for the fights. Short, fat, evil man who Bucky despises more than anyone. Anyone except for Pierce.

There are small scanning cameras inside the bathroom stalls and he spreads his hands as the blue light flashes infront of him. An automated voice informs him that he has no broken bones and no concussions, no permanent damage, but there are several wounds in his body that are to be attended by the medic soon. He ignores it and then water stars falling on him after a few seconds. The scorching water hits his back as he steps under the spray of water, letting the dirt and blood wash away, hoping the hot water relieves the pain in his sore muscles. Pain that reaches inside of him to invade his bones. Bucky lets himself drift for a moment as the water washes away all thought.

He wasn’t born in Arcadia like other fighters did. He was from Catalean, the Ocean Colony as it was called, water was the only familiar thing Bucky had in the Pit. No matter how many hits in the head he got, he could never really, really remember his family or friends – if he had any – or their names. He’s snapped out of his thoughts when he hears voices coming from the outside, he recognizes Pierce’s voice even before the doors open and the man enters the showers, a bright smile on his face and Zola behind him with a small bag of gold in his hands. Zola loved gold more than Credits, even though gold couldn’t be used as currency – Credits where the only currency aloud in every colony.

Bucky turns and swallows the insult he was about to spit at Zola, turning the shower off. He steps outside drying himself with a towel that had been laid for him before he entered the room.

“Legionary” Pierce starts, walking towards him.

“Your Greatness” Bucky says, securing the towel around his waist, he offers a small bow, tensing when Pierce puts a hand on his shoulder.

“No need for that, son”

Bucky hates when Pierce calls him son. It’s not like he treats him like such, or that Bucky sees him as a father figure. Pierce says it as if it’s the name he gives the fighters he owns, and he had bought Bucky over eight years ago, meaning he earned 20% of Bucky’s earnings every time he won. Pierce gives a step back wrinkling his nose when he notices the bloody wound in Bucky’s side – Zola offers him a clean cloth to “wipe his hands” – and Bucky continues dressing, not caring about the other two men talking behind him.

“Winter” Zola calls.

Winter Soldier was the Legionary name he had been given by Zola, he had called him that because no man could survive him. People loved it, so it caught on. 

“His Greatness wanted to congratulate you in person”

Bucky raises an eyebrow. Pierce often sent him congratulations after a win, that was normal – alongside other small rewards, like alcohol or sweets – what was strange was the glint in Zola’s eyes, he never looked pleased after Bucky won and he had made clear several times in the past that he disliked him. Which was good because Bucky hated him, and once he was free he would kill him first.

He secures his belt and nods at the men, not really understanding.

“For your hundredth win” Pierce adds.

A hundred times. That’s how many times he’s been close to death.

His mind travels to the night he arrived to Arcadia. Before that, every memory he had from his life in Catalean was hazy, he was no more than fourteen and he should remember at least a face but he can’t. All he remembers is being taken to the Barracks, where he had lived and worked until he was taken to the Pit to train, to learn to kill, until his sixteenth birthday arrived and he won his first fight. Bucky rubs his eyes as Zola and Pierce laugh about something before he hears the doors open again and the automated voice announces a new presence in the room.

He blinks. 

There is a woman accompanied by two young men – eunuchs, his mind supplies – he had seen her before in the arena, standing next to Pierce as she looked down at the fights with little interest. Madame Aida was the owner of Hysteria, a very exclusive brothel just outside of the HighGrounds that was only attended by lords and Pierce himself. Or if you had managed to save for half a life time in Credits to get in. 

“Ah! There she is” Zola exclaims, he takes the woman’s hand and kisses the back of it, “Welcome, Madame” 

“Zola, Darling” She smiles, “Alexander, your Greatness”

Pierce repeats the same gesture and Bucky clenches his jaw tightly, wondering if he had to do that too. There is suddenly too many people in the room and Bucky thinks about voicing it but is shut when Pierce looks back at him. the two eunuchs leave the room, but guard the doors as if they had been ordered not to bother. Pierce’s hand is on his shoulder and he sees the woman scan his body before he turns to him.

“You know, Bucky, can I call you that?”

 _No, but you will anyways_. Bucky thinks but nods tightly.

“I’ve been wondering about what could I give my best fighter after all these years of service” He throws his arm around him, Bucky winces at the pain in his shoulder, “All the fights won, all those moments of enjoyment and entertainment for my citizens” his grin widens, “and since this is your hundredth win, I thought about giving you something very,  _very_  special" 

Bucky swallows. 

“You’ve been here since you are…“

“Sixteen” Bucky answers, “Your Greatness” he adds when Zola clears his throat. 

Pierce grins, “Sixteen” he licks his lips, “Just a boy, huh” Bucky nods, “I understand your birthday was two days ago”

Bucky frowns, “Yes, sir”

“twenty five” Pierce rubs his chin, “At your age I took my second wife and owned two Doves” he smiles at the memory.

Bucky twists his mouth in certain disgust, gesture that Zola catches but Pierce doesn’t.

“This is Madame Aida, she wanted to meet you” Pierce introduces the woman, “Do you know who she is, Bucky?”

Bucky nods, a strange nod in his stomach as she shakes the woman’s hand. She raises an eyebrow at him when he doesn’t kiss it like Zola and Pierce had done.

“I visited the Slums a few weeks ago, the Underground to be precise” Madame Aida lick her red-stained lips, “and I have to admit I was impressed by you”

The Slums – one of the divisions of Arcadia aside from The Barracks – where just outside the HighGrounds’ gates. Bucky remembers being trained in a gymnasium there, until he was bought by Pierce and brought to the HighGrounds to live. The Underground was a small part of the town where people went to have fun, there were dancing clubs, cantines, and brothels, but the most popular “attraction” were the Underground fights. It wasn’t illegal and it paid well, but if you were killed no one would find your body and no one would as questions afterwards. Which is why Bucky is surprised when Aida tells him she visited them, it was no place for a woman with her status.

“Anyways” Aida chuckles, cupping his jaw, “Pierce told me you’ve been here since you were a boy and I couldn’t believe you’ve never visited Hysteria”

Bucky shakes his head. He was about to say they weren’t paid enough, Pierce took his piece and Zola took 40% to spend on housing, food and clothing, and what was left wasn’t much – and is not like Bucky would pay for sex – but he’s caught off-guard when Aida drags her nails of Bucky’s naked torso. He grabs her hand, careful not to hurt her but with enough strength to keep her from touching him more. Aida only smiles brightly.

“Strong yet soft touch” Her bright red lips for a smirk, “You must great in bed” she winks, she walks away from him, “Speaking off…” She trails off. 

That’s something Bucky really doesn’t want to get into. Much less with that woman. Or Zola.  _Or Pierce_.

“Madame Aida was kind enough to bring you reward personally” Pierce says as an explanation. 

He looks at the woman and she smiles wickedly, winking at him before turning to Pierce and bowing her head once – a respectful gesture and he feels humilliated for some reason. He licks his lips and looks at Pierce, a small frown on his face.

“I don’t under-“

“Winter” Zola says between teeth, “It’s in your room”

He throws a glance at Pierce and Aida, then looks at Zola who is guiding him outside the room and towards the elevators. Right before elevator doors close, he hears Pierce call his name.

“Thank me later, son” the man says. 

Bucky hates him.

 

* * *

 

She had been bathed and dressed – if you could call the almost sheer dress she had on clothes – her hair had been washed, gold beads are woven into it, her nails clipped and dusted and there was perfume on her skin – a mixture of the soaps which she had been bathed with and the perfume on the clothes –  Her neck and wrists were adorned with jewelry that was meant to be kept by the Legionary that was now her owner. Only thinking about what that beast would do to her had her shaking in fear, tears threatening to leave her eyes. If she only hadn’t listen to her father, she would have gladly accepted death, that sounded so much better in comparison.

“Death is better than slavery” She whispers.

The room around her is spacious. Too big to belong to a commoner but too small to be a Commander’s, but it wasn’t strange since she was told Arcadia’s “Legionaries” were treated like such if they were good at what they did. She looks around her, the bed she’s sitting on is big enough to cover good portion of the room, there was only one window – locked, of course – from where she could see the Pit and most of the HighGrounds. On the other side of the room there was a bathtub, white marble surface with a stair to climb inside and there was a small shower next to it with glass doors. So much for privacy once she bathed, and she knew she would want to shower after… It happened. There was a small living room not too far, with a wooden table in the middle of it, a glass cabinet with what seems to be liquor bottles inside and big wooden wardrobe next to the bookshelf.

The man probably didn’t even know how to read.

She glances at the door, shutting her eyes tightly when she remembers she couldn’t leave even if she tried to. Aida’s eunuchs were outside, guarding the doors.

The voices in the hall grow louder and louder and she clutches her dress, sitting on the edge of the bed where she had been left hours ago. When Madame Aida had put red paint in her lips, blush on her cheeks and coated her eyelashes with mascara, “ _to make you beautiful, beautiful_ ” she had said with a wicked smile. It’s almost night and the Pit was already empty, the stars would soon be shinning bright in the sky and for the first time, Jane didn’t care how beautiful they looked, or that they show the way home, because she was never going to be able to go back. 

The doors open and she stands, like the Madame had instructed to do. She catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror adjacent of the bed and she barely recognizes herself. The make up in her face making her look years older, her hair hadn’t been cut in over three months and was now reaching her lower back, the dress to tight hugging her thinner frame. Arnim Zola enters the room followed by another man, and he grasps his hands together with a glint in his eyes.

“Ah, beautiful” 

It takes everything in Jane’s power not to slap him. She gazes at the floor, at her naked feet, and fists her hands tightly. He walks towards Jane and circles her like a tiger would it’s prey, before reaching for her hair to pet it, she shivers shutting her eyes tightly, Zola then caresses her arm with his knuckles, she tenses visibly at the touch but tries not to move.

“Zola” 

Just then, Jane remembers the other man that entered the room with him. Piercing blue eyes, look at Zola, blinking slowly. The shorter man doesn’t recoil when he turns to him, instead moving away in one swift movement with a forced smile on his face and eyes still on Jane.

“Oh, James, you are a lucky, lucky, man” He flicks his tongue, “You can see how much appreciation his Greatness  _wastes_  on you”

She sees the other man, James, clench his jaw and fists, and when he catches Jane eye she looks down at her feet again. Darcy had promised she would get to her, that they would reunite once again, and that meant she had to keep her head down long enough, even if it was a hard thing to do. Survival had to be her only priority. 

“You ought to be grateful” Zola continues, “Give her… Good use”

He smiles so wide that Jane can see two pure gold incisors shinning bright inside his mouth, he flicks his tongue over them again and he reaches to touch her again.

“Enough”

Both jump at the deep growl-like tone the blue eyed man uses this time. Jane feels her bottom lip tremble as Zola nods and moves away from her, when he walks pass James he has to look up at him.

“Apologies,  _Bucky_ ” The shorter man says, “You want to enjoy your reward” he offers a reverence.

“I don’t want anyone here in the morning” 

Jane closes her eyes. 

Zola laughs, “Of course” he nods, “But Madame Aida is sending someone to… be sure the Dove has been Clipped” he winks.

“Leave” The man says.

“Alright, alright, I’ll leave you two alone”

Zola pats the man’s shoulder and then, finally, leaves the room, whistling as he does. Jane can hear the coins dancing in his pocket as he wobbles away in the halls and wonders if he had been paid to keep an eye on her.

Jane had been captured four months ago and taken immediately to Madame Aida, as all girls were. She remembers Darcy’s face when she was taken to the small confined room where they were going to examine her. Darcy knew Jane was a virgin, a “Dove” they had called her, and that meant she had some kind of value that she had no power over. When they were separated, Darcy was taken to the “Slums” – One of the girls told Jane that there were similar businesses like Hysteria that didn’t require Doves – and Jane was taken to Aida's House, where she was going to be prepared for her Clipping.

Still, according to what she had heard the other girls talking while there, they were suppose to be auctioned to Lords and even to be part of “His Greatness” the High Commander Alexander Pierce’s harem. It wasn’t a normal occurrence to be given to a Legionary.

Her mind goes back to Darcy, and she tries thinking that she’s working at some canteen in the Slums serving drinks, not having to do what Jane was suppose to do. It’s much better than the other scenarios that had ran through her mind.

Survival had to be her only priority.

She looks at the man, who is now standing next to the door – there’s a screen panel that controls the lighting and temperature in the room – she could try and kill him, yes, try being the key word, but then she wouldn’t be able to leave… Wherever she was, she didn’t know Arcadia well, or anyone there and she didn’t know where Darcy was yet. She could also… Do what she had been told to do.

“What’s your name?”

Jane blinks several times as the man speaks to her for the first time, pulling her out of her thoughts. He was sitting on the edge of the tub now, his shirt was gone and there was an opened box next to him with medicine and bandages and he winces as he tended the wounds she hadn’t noticed before. He uses a cloth to wipe the blood from his shoulder and side and then pours something on them. 

“Are you a mute?” He asks, “they cut the women’s tongues at Hysteria?”

She shakes her head softly, “No”

He stares at her a few seconds, “I’m James” he says, going back to the bleeding cut on his side, “The Winter Soldier” he adds, as if it should mean something to her.

A small frown crosses her features, Zola had called him Bucky. Jane ignores it and gives a few steps towards him, to get a better view of his wounds, if he’s wounded maybe there wouldn’t be… A Clipping that night. Rape, her mind supplies, because that’s what it would be.

She swallows.

“My name is Tulip” she says, barely audible, it was the name given to her by Aida.

James rolls his eyes, “Your real name”

She looks at her feet when he glances at her.

“I’ll call you that if that’s what you want” He says after a few seconds of silence, “But I’m pretty sure that’s not your name”

Before Jane can stop herself she says, “And what do you care about what I want?”

James looks at her again, this time there’s contemplation in his eyes before he stands and walks towards her. There’s a moment where Jane sees a pair scissors behind him, inside the medical kit, and considers reaching for them but then the man is right infront of her and she can’t help but look back at him as defiantly as she can without glaring. Her straight posture weakens when he reaches for the collar around her neck and tugs from it, not hard enough to hurt but with enough strength to take it off her. He takes her wrists and does the same with the thick gold and diamond cuff-like bracelets there.

“Do you have anything else on you?”

Her eyes flutter open, and she hadn’t realised she had closed them. Jane shakes her head and James nods once, moving away from her. She looks down at her feet because now she’s sure it’s going to happen, she hears him pacing around the room and then he talks again.

“Is that all you have to wear?”

She turns to him, looks down at her sheer gown and then at him, giving him a nod. Madame Aida had told her she wouldn’t need clothes since she would be spending most of her time naked. On the bed. Being used. James walks towards the wardrobe and opens it, then walks towards her again. She tenses, her feet almost giving a step back.

“Don’t-“ He pursed his lips, “Don’t do that”

“I’m- I didn’t-” She stammers, “I’m sorry, sir”

He waits a few seconds and then moves towards her slowly, “You take it off before Zola enters tomorrow” he says, and offers her a thick but soft robe.

Jane takes it hesitantly, looking at him before whispering a thank you. James’ hands cup her chin and she does her best not to wince or tense but she fails, and her sight blurs when she forces herself to look at him. She can smell alcohol in his breath – he probably took some for the pain – as he speaks quietly to her, as if he doesn’t want anyone else to listen. 

“I know you are here against your will” James says, “You probably didn’t want to be taken to Hysteria either” Jane takes a sharp intake of breath, “I am not going to rape you tonight or any other night, understand?”

Jane nods, swallowing tightly.

“I have fight for him, but I do not rape for him, You understand?” He asks again. 

It had been HighCommander Pierce who bought Jane for him. She wonders if he had even been told about Jane’s arrival, or if he had been asked permission. But James was nothing but a Legionary, an employee of Pierce and Zola, his opinion mattered as little as hers.

“Yes, sir” Jane whispers.

James nods once, “Good”

He presses his thumb against her lips and drags it from the bottom lip to her cheek, smearing the red lipstick that Aida had put on her. Jane blinks several times as James moves away from her, leaving something in her hands, she follows him with her eyes as he sort of collapses on the bed, groaning lowly like a wounded animal. Jane waits a few seconds, she can feel the cold sweat running down her back, maybe he would ask her to do something, anything. But the room stays quiet for what seem hours before he starts to snore.

That was it.

Jane waits for his breathing to slow down enough to be sure he was heavily asleep to look at the cloth in her hands. It was the blood covered cloth he had used to clean his wounds. And she frowns deeply. Then her eyes go wide, understanding that Bucky couldn’t prevent Madame Aida or Zola, or whoever was sent, from coming to the room the next day, but if there was the smallest evidence that Jane had fulfilled her duty they couldn’t say nothing about it. It was a temporary solution to her… Problem. What she didn’t understand though, is why would he do that for her. 

_“I have to fight for him, but I do not rape for him, You understand?”_

Maybe, in some way, James was a slave like her.

She stands and leaves the robe James offered to her on the feet of his bed, not wanting to sleep surrounded by his smell and leaves the cloth on top of it, so she remembers about it in the morning. The couch seemed like a comfortable enough place to sleep, maybe she could catch some before someone came knocking on the doors the next morning. Before she sits there, she sees the scissors and reaches to take them, placing them under the cushion before she finally goes to sleep.


	2. Gift With Purchase

A loud knock on the door wakes him up. Bucky sits on the bed quickly and the room spins around him for a few seconds before he stands, the events from the night before coming back to his mind as he does. The woman, “Tulip”, is half asleep on the couch, as she starts blinking her eyes open when she hears the voice on the other side of the door. There’s the sound of the locks opening and the automated voice attached to the screen panel next to the door tells Bucky that Arnim Zola is entering the room.

Zola had the master card to every door in the building, and sometimes it irked Bucky knowing that he had access to his room.

“Bucky, are you awake?” Zola asks, “Are you decent?” he adds, and he can heard the smirk on his voice. 

Bucky twists his mouth as he glances at the woman. He gestures the bed and she hesitates before standing from the couch to reach for the bloody cloth before she gets into the bed – he doesn’t miss the fact that she has a pair of scissors in her hands – and undresses, covering herself with the covers. Bucky, who had undressed in the middle of the night forgetting her presence, is completely naked when opens the door.

“I told you not to-“

He stops when he realises Zola is not alone.

“I know, Bucky, but we have to…” He trails off when he sees Bucky’s state. 

There is an old woman behind Zola, a “Mother” – Bucky knew they worked with Madame Aida at Hysteria but wasn’t sure what their role was – He nods at her and the woman offers him a small reverence.

“I see you’ve been busy” Zola continues with a grin, gesturing Bucky to move from the door.

Bucky clenches his jaw as he gives a step back to let him inside the room. He looks away as the Mother walks towards the woman, telling Zola to give them privacy, she then instructs the younger woman to stand from the bed and not to dress, examining her body for bruises or scratches. All this time the younger woman keeps her eyes glued to the ground, and when Bucky sees the Mother take the cloth from her hands he takes a deep breath in.

“And?” Zola calls from next to him.

The Mother gives him a small nod and Bucky looks away, for some reason relieved, as the younger woman dresses with clean clothes brought by the Mother.

“Well” Zola’s hand on his shoulder, “She’ll be yours the rest of the month” he winks.

Bucky tenses.

“What do you mean?” Bucky growls, “The rest of the month”

He was thinking she would be taken that day, once she left he could enjoy his month free. After a death in the Pit, all fighters were given thirty free days, while Zola looked in the Slums for a fighter to replace the Legionary that had been killed. The Underground fighters from the Slums were part of a tournament to choose one.

“Well, you can’t keep her _forever_ ” Zola says, matter of factly, “No women are aloud to live in the Pit, it’s in the rules” 

Bucky glares, “That’s not what I-" 

“His Greatness Alexander Pierce” Zola says, lifting a finger up in warning, “Gave her to you so you could Clip her, yes, but she can’t stay here”

Bucky lowers his gaze.

“You would still be able to visit her in Hysteria” Zola adds, a smile in his face, “If you can save enough” 

He laughs in an exaggerated manner, throwing his head back as he leaves the room, the Mother right behind him. Bucky wants to catch up to him and hit him in the face as hard as he can but he restrains himself. Once he’s free Zola will be the first man he kills.

The _last_ man he kills, Bucky tells himself.

A few seconds pass and Bucky can hear the sound of the steps getting further and further. Bucky looks at the woman on the other side of the room then. She looks a bit pink in the cheeks as she wipes the red in her lips with a wet cloth her Mother had left for her – that, a new clothes – and when she glances downwards Bucky remembers he’s still nude. He walks towards the shower, wanting nothing more to bathe quickly before his food was sent to his room. It’s when he turns that he hears her.

“Thank you”

 

* * *

 

James’ body tenses for a second, she can see the lines of his back going rigid before he resumes walking around the room, not caring still for his naked state.

Growing up, being the daughter of a Glassmere’s High Commander, she hadn’t being able to go to the school like other children in her colony did. Instead, she had been home-schooled by her father, and that meant she didn’t get to make many friends.

Her governess and carer, an extremely smart woman called Julia, had taken upon Jane’s education when he father had been named HighCommander – she remembers feeling proud of him, even if that meant he wouldn’t have time for her like before – Julia filled Jane’s head with knowledge, from history to medicine and everything in between. Her upbringing had been left in the hands of Julia too. How to dress, how to act, how to speak properly, she was like the mother Jane hadn’t been able to have. But when Jane had been curious about other subject matters as she grew into a woman, mainly her sexuality, she had told her she didn’t have the need for those yet.

So Jane turned to her second source of knowledge: Books. Which, granted, weren’t enough to quench her need for knowledge.

That was until she met Darcy. Darcy was Julia’s actual daughter and was the only other person her age she knew. Having grew up in the citadel, Darcy was more experienced in many things, and as they grew older Jane and her created a bond stronger than friendship. Darcy never kept a secret from her, answering as many questions as Jane asked. It was as if she lived her life and a little bit of Jane’s.

James glances at her.

“It was nothing”

And then he looks away.

Jane doesn’t hear him say anything and she doesn’t want to look at him instead focusing on the patterns of the rug underneath her feet. It’s the last thing he says before she hears the water running. She wonders if she could peek, and scolds herself for even thinking about it since the man, James, had been generous towards her the night before. It felt as if she was being ungrateful intruding his privacy. But Jane’s curiosity always got the best of her, so after a few minutes she turns slowly glancing towards James.

There is a large part of his body– as much as she can see – that is covered in scars, some much older looking than others, some deep and long and others not so much. She blinks several times when James runs a hand through his chest and abdomen, spreading the soap all across his body. The wounds he had been tending the night before were still open, the water washing away the blood pouring from them.

The waters goes off and James steps out of the shower, grabbing a towel and drying himself with it. He remains naked as he does and Jane stares for a few seconds.

“What are you looking at?” He asks with a harsh tone. 

Jane scowls, making herself look at him in the eye. She had realised he didn’t like when people did that, well, Zola and the Mother. 

“Your wounds are bleeding” She answers, “Still”

James lifts his chin up, “So”

They are about ten steps away from each other but she can feel the glare as if he was inches away. Jane grips the small scissors in her hands and then moves towards the glass cabinet, where she had seen him put the medical box in. She is about to open it when James towers over her, his chest flushed against her back before he makes her turn, pinning her agains the glass. 

“What do you think you are doing?“ He grits. 

Her heart leaps to her throat as she is caged by him, still, she manages to take the scissors to his neck. James’ mouth flattens into a thin line and his jaw worked his teeth together making her stomach twist into a knot. She can help him, she knows she can, if he only let her go.

“If you don’t suture the wounds you can bleed out” She explains, panting heavily.

James tilts his head slightly.

“I can do it” Jane says, “I just need your medical supplies” she glances at the white box behind her.

After a few seconds, James nods and lets her go, “Don’t do that no more”

“No unannounced movements” Jane says, “Understood” 

He takes a few steps back and waits for her to move from his way to reach for the medical kit. As Jane walks towards the bathtub, standing next to where he had been sitting the night before tending his wounds, she realises that he didn’t flinch the slightest while she had the scissors on his neck, and that he didn’t bother in taking them away from her afterwards.

 

* * *

 

Bucky hadn’t really needed to visit the medics after a fight before – no matter what the stupid robotic voice said. He was almost never wounded fatally, since mostly fists were used, bruises were common and those went away a few days later. But sometimes the crowd threw bottles at the arena like they had the day before, and Felix had caught one before Bucky did. The man hadn’t been able to wound him mortally, but apparently the cut on his side had been deeper than he thought.

The woman opens the white box and picks out the supplies she needed. He wasn’t very sure she knew what she was doing, but being poorly patched in his room was better than having to spend credits he didn’t have visiting the medic, and definitely better than bleeding out. She kneels infront of him, examining the gash, and without warning touches the tender flesh around it making him grunt lowly, gripping the marble edge under his fingers.

“There’s something inside” She informs.

“What?” He scowls, “What do you- _fuck_!”

“It’s glass, I think”

He looks down at her and sees her fingers covered in blood, and a small glass shard in her palm. She looks baffled by it, as if it’s a piece of gold or maybe she’s just shocked that he slept all night with it inside him. He notices there isn’t red paint on her lips and cheeks, and her eyes don’t have dark shadow on them like the night before. Still she maintains a natural blush on her cheeks that could be because the room is a little too warm, or because of their proximity. His mind betrays him and he remembers she had never touched a man before, whether it was to suture his wounds or otherwise. He feels his cock strain slightly and he holds the towel tighter around his waist, cursing mentally.

“I’m going to use this to suture the wound” Jane says, reaching for a needle and threat.

He nods and looks away.

The last time Bucky was touched by a woman had been three years ago. He had met Natasha in the Slums, working at a cantine, it had been a quick encounter – and his first – but also the first time in over a decade that Bucky had felt something other than pain and misery, a relief he had never felt before and didn’t know he needed. Natasha made sure she wasn’t looking for a relationship despite their encounters becoming frequent.

She was now long gone, she had managed to escape to Maraud, the Freelands, alongside her brother Clint and another Legionary called Sam.

The needle digs into his skin for the third time and he takes a deep breath.

“I need a drink before you can continue”

“Alcohol thins the blood, which might me why you almost bleed out last night” she says, “Stay still”

He grits his jaw and nods once. She is almost done anyways, finishing the suture with almost medical precision. When she announces she’s done he glances down and the wound is clean, not as painful looking as a few minutes before. The woman puts a bandage over it and Bucky winces when she presses it slightly, before putting what’s left of his supplies back inside the white box. He frowns.

“How do you know all… This?” He waves at the box.

A frown crosses her features and Bucky stares.

“I’m…”

“A common girl wouldn’t know-“

“Common girl?” The woman asks, and she looks more confused than offended, “What’s- Where did they tell you I come from”

“Hysteria” Bucky answers matter of factly.

She gives him a contemplative look, “I read it somewhere”

“You are lying”

“A common girl can’t know how to read or-“

Bucky grabs her wrist and makes her look at him. She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, a shaky breath that confirms that she is hiding something, he notices glancing at the scissors she had left inches away from her reach. Maybe she’s a spy, maybe Zola or Pierce had realised he had been planning to escape soon, he hadn’t been as secretive as he thought. He glances at the glass cabinet and remembers that she had been trying to get to it minutes before.

“You- you are hurting me” She stammers, trying to break free from his grip, “James” 

All these years planning and waiting for the perfect moment and it was all going to crumble because of a “prize” he didn’t even want. He knew Pierce wouldn’t let his best Legionary leave Arcadia. Not alive. He grips her wrist almost painfully and then she lets out a whine.

“Bucky!”

He hears the slap before he feels it. A not so pleasing warmth spreading through his right cheek, and he lets her go as if she was suddenly made of fire. The woman reaches for the scissors but he grabs her by the shoulders, and they wrestle until they fall into the bed behind them.

“No! Let me go!” She kicks.

He pins her wrists above her head, “Stop! I’m not- I’m-“

“Please! Please!”

“Stop it!” 

All movement then stops and the woman pants harshly, her eyes wide in fear. Bucky clenches his jaw, his nostrils flaring as he tries to figure if it’s an act. Her whole body trembles against his and he feels furious at himself. Even if she was a spy, he wouldn’t be able to kill her.

“Who sent you?” He asks. 

She blinks several times, looking confused, “What are-“

“Who sent you to spy on me?” He repeats with a more menacing tone, “Zola? Pierce himself?” 

She shakes her head, “I’m not a-“

“And don’t lie” He grits.

“I’m not a spy” Bucky scowls deepens, “My name is Jane Selvig”

His eyes scan her face.

“Is that suppose to mean something?”

The woman– Jane’s bottom lip tremble and she swallows audibly, “My father is Erik Selvig” she says, “Glassmere’s High Commander” 

“Glassmere?” Bucky repeats.

She nods frantically as she swallows audibly. Glassmere was the colony in the north, their people were said to use giant glass telescopes to study the stars. If Jane was from there, she was a very long way from her home.

“Arcadia attacked us a few months ago and they killed my family”

Bucky looks at Jane with a frown on his face.

If it was true, an attack like that could lead to war.

The last time there was war in the Old World had been over a hundred years ago, World War IV had ended with continents drifting apart for good. Their continent had been divided in colonies by the time it was over and Arcadia ended up being the largest territory. Because of the devastation, a peace treaty had been signed. Arcadia, The Cinders, Glassmere, Roseburn, and Catalean all signed and new laws where stablished. Maraud was a small faction of people who decided to stay out of it despite agreeing to stay at peace. It was where Bucky was going to escape to as soon as he was sure how to get there.

“If that’s true-“

“It is” Jane says, “You have to believe me, please”

“Why wouldn’t they kill you then?” Bucky asks, “If they were to kill the High Commander’s entire family-“

“My father told me to pass as a servant” Jane’s eyes are glassy, and her cheeks are wet, “He- If I hadn’t listened to him…” She shuts her eyes tightly, “I swear I’m not lying” 

“Arcadia wouldn’t attack another colony for no reason“

Jane sniffs and she stares at him for a few seconds. Suspicion in her eyes before realisation.

“You really don’t know” she whispers, “Arcadia has deals with the other colonies, to exchange meats, fruits, liquor and even clothes” 

Bucky nods, he knew that, everyone did.

“Pierce asked us- my father to- to let part of his troops inside Glassmere- to protect our export he said, but… My father refused, saying we could it protect ourselves” Jane takes a breath in, “After months of denying Pierce… My father said that Pierce considered their ties to us severed”

Bucky shakes his head, “If he had the same deals in other colonies then-“ 

“They all know happened to Glassmere” Jane cuts him off, “My father sent messengers across the colonies asking for help” Her bottom lip tremble and she takes another deep breath, “They- They wouldn’t” Voice shaking she looks at him again, “And maybe they didn’t because the deal they got is better or- or because they are afraid, but they didn’t answer” she shuts her eyes tightly, “I told my father- I told him how foolish that was, how trusting in Pierce-“ She hiccups and bites her bottom lip.

“Jane…”

“My family was hung on the plaza where my people carried out celebrations” Jane says, “Every weekend we would play movies for them, every year we celebrated winter solstice with music and- and-“ 

Bucky swallows tightly.

“Pierce’s men burnt my home to the ground” Jane continues, her voice shaking with anger more than fear or sadness, “And killed every single person who stood against them – men, women, and children”

He finally let her wrists go, not seeing any point in continuing his interrogation. Jane lays on the bed for a few seconds, catching her breath, as he sits on the edge of the bed. Running a hand through his face and hair he sighing deeply, before he stands and dresses. 

“The ones who lived escaped to Maraud”

Bucky turns to Jane, who is rubbing her wrist, “What did you say?”

Jane looks at him, “Maraud” she repeats, “The Freelands”

“Do you know where-“

A knock on the door startles them both. Bucky grits his jaw and moves to open it, sighing when he realises it’s not Zola and a man comes in with a cart of food, handing him a congratulations card signed by the High Commander. The day after a fight, the victor was served a banquet that lasted all day, and it was pretty much the only reward Bucky actually cared about. 

“My congratulations on your win” The man glances at Jane. 

“ _Leave_ ” Bucky tells the man.

The man offers him a nod and leaves the room, closing the door behind him slowly. Again, both Bucky and Jane wait for the steps to be far enough to move. Bucky towards the cart, Jane away from the bed and from him. He notices and feels a sting of guilt in his chest, for the redness on Jane’s wrists and for the way he had scared her despite the fact that she treated his wounds minutes before.

“I’m sorry” Jane looks at him, “For… For what I did” he adds, “Scaring you”

Jane nods, “I… It’s alright” she says quietly, “You can’t trust a stranger” 

“Are you hurt?“

“It’s fine” Jane shakes her head, “Sore, but it will go away”

A few seconds pass and they both look away from each other.

Bucky bring out a small stool from under the bed and sits, dragging the cart of food towards him, inhaling the delicious smell of the roasted chicken that makes his stomach rumble before he rips out a big piece and takes it to his mouth. 

“Can I shower?” Jane asks quietly.

He glances at her again, mouth full, and nods. Still, Jane stays in the same spot, looking at him while she chews the inside of her cheek and plays with the fabric of her dress nervously.

“What?” He asks.

“I was wondering…” Jane continues, “If you could turn around”

Bucky raises an eyebrow.

“I can’t- I’m not going to bathe with you staring at me” she blurts out.

“Like you were staring at me earlier?”

Jane looks baffled, and her mouth open and closes several times like she’s trying to find something to say but can’t. Bucky stands and moves, so his back is towards the shower. 

“You can eat once you’re done” He says, “If there’s something left then”

Jane sighs heavily but doesn’t say anything else.


	3. What’s a God to a Non-believer

He punches the heavy bag three more times, feeling his muscles already protesting after hours in the gymnasium. Bucky had never spent so much time in the training rooms as he had done the past three days, having woke up earlier than usual to leave the room before the sun was out. He didn’t get along with the other fighters and rumours of his “reward” had already being spread, he could hear the others talking and whispering since he had entered the room, he hadn’t cared at first but now they were starting to anger him. He could leave, but that would mean going back to his room where Jane was. 

The woman hadn’t tried to kill him again – And yes, he knew he deserved for acting out of a very wrong assumption – but she wouldn’t give up the sharp scissors she hid under her pillow. Maybe it was best for her to have them, Bucky wouldn’t hurt her but if it made her feel better then he had no problem with it. He tries thinking about something else, tried to ignore the murmurs of the others and it almost works, until he sees Brock Rumlow, Crossbones like Zola had named him, entering the room with a smug smile on his face. 

The handwrap around his knuckles was already breaking when he starts peeling it off to wrap them again, ignoring the way Rumlow seemed to be hovering around him as he walks towards the supply table. He sees him picking on Billy Russo, Zola’s son, who had recently came back from the Barracks where he had been sent a few weeks ago. Russo was three years younger than Bucky, and since Bucky had known him, Zola had never called him son, sending him to the Barracks whenever he “misbehaved” or simply annoyed him. His face was marred by horrible scars, rumours were that Zola had found him once trying to steal gold from him and punished the kid throwing him in a cage of wild dogs. Bucky believed it. It proved what a monster Zola was.

The younger man walks towards him and offers him a smile.

“Hey, Buck”

He glances up, “Russo”

“I- um- the guys and I- we were talking about your birthday, happy birthday” He stammers.

“Thanks” Bucky mutters, trying to make him understand that he didn’t feel like talking.

Russo is about to leave when Rumlow appears behind him, grinning widely. Russo mumbles out something and then leaves in a hurry, Bucky knows he is afraid of Rumlow, he takes some sadistic pleasure in teasing him cruelly – calling him names and making fun of his appearance – even though they all know Russo is not all well in his head, with the life he had have, it was no surprise.

“What the fuck do you want, Rumlow” He asks.

The man chuckles, “I heard about your prize”

Bucky stops for a second before resuming wrapping his knuckles tightly. 

“So it’s true!” Rumlow exclaims, “Damn, Buck, you really are a lucky bastard” he puts a hand on his shoulder, “Is she still in your room?” 

Bucky shrugs Rumlow’s hand off and moves away from him.

He takes a towel and wipes the sweat off his brow, before walking towards the punching bags again. Rumlow liked to provoke him, taunt him, he knew that if Bucky threw the first punch he would be sent to the Barracks for a week, but outside of the Pit Bucky likes to think he had control over his temperament. He wasn’t an animal like most of the men who did enjoy fighting.

“I bet she screams pretty”

Bucky starts punching, counting under his breath.

Rumlow chuckles, “That’s the problem with Doves, they do nothing more than cry when they’re being clipped”

His friends join him in the chuckling this time and Bucky turns to find him surrounded by the other men, like he was telling them a night time story.

“But that doesn’t matter as long as they keep their legs open so one just can slide-“

“Enough, Rumlow” Bucky growls.

The man’s grin widens and he starts walking towards Bucky, trying to look menacing as he does.

  
“What was that, _Buck_?”

Bucky looks at him hard for a few seconds, before he shrugs and starts punching the bag again, “It’s just…” he starts, “You are talking as if you’ve ever had enough to pay for a Dove” he continues punching the bag, “or win enough times to be rewarded with one”

The men start laughing and Rumlow fists his shirt and makes Bucky look at him, pinning him against the punching bag. Bucky doesn’t recoil, he doesn’t even flinch, and he sees Zola entering the room with the corner of his eye.

“Brock, James, something wrong?” Zola asks.

Bucky’s lips curve upwards as Rumlow lets him go.

“Nothing at all, sir” Rumlow says.

Zola throws a warning glance at Bucky and leaves the room, muttering as he does. Bucky then grabs his gear and leaves the room not wanting to confront Rumlow or his followers. He was tired, and his side hurt, his knuckles were also bleeding for not being covered properly.

 

He _really_ needed a drink.

 

* * *

 

 

Jane doesn’t say anything when he enters the room. He looks tired and smells like he had been rolling around the sand fighting, Bucky’s wearing a closed off expression as he starts to undress and she understands he doesn’t feel like talking – they hadn’t really done much of that – she waits until she hears the water running to accommodate on the couch, going back to her book, an old copy of the first “Harry Potter” that she had found in the bookshelf while she was looking for something to distract herself with. 

At Glassmere, she had access to a big collection of books from the Old World, she was sure the other colonies did too but they were hard to find – and very expensive – since they had been banned and burned when World War IV worsened. When the ban was lifted, there weren’t many books left, still, Bucky had a modest quantity of them and in very good state. About that she really wanted to ask. The water stops running and she speaks.

“Do you know how to read?”

It’s what comes out instead.

Jane had been told in the past how little restraint she had when she felt curious about something – e. g. Peeking at Bucky while he was bathing – but she never bothered in changing that, her father always told her never to apologize for wanting to know things, despite Julia telling her that asking before thinking would only get her in trouble. She can hear Bucky walking around the room behind her, hopefully looking for some clothes, but if there was something she was already sure about him is that he doesn’t care for being nude.

“Of course I know how to read” Bucky finally answers, “What do you think I have those books for?” 

“Keep the fire alive during winter?” Jane retorts, glancing at the chimney that remains off. 

Bucky exhales loudly, “You are mouthy” he mutters, “It could get you killed”

Jane turns to him eyes wide, mouth slightly open as the book falls from her lap and her heart starts to race. Bucky stares back for a few seconds, before a smug smile tugs from each corner of lips, looking pleased with himself. 

“I apologise, sir” She says quietly, but loud enough for him to hear.

She waits for him to say something, her eyes drifting to scan his body as he pulls up his pants. In another situation – moment, life even – she would let her eyes linger longer, and maybe even admit that Bucky is a very attractive man.

“For insulting me or for staring?” Bucky asks, buttoning the pants.

His eyebrow furrows and she realises it’s a serious question. 

“Both, sir” Jane answers, looking at the forgotten book in her lap.

“Don’t call me sir”

“How do I-“

“Bucky’s fine”

She nods.

“Did you eat?” Bucky asks after a few seconds.

Jane nods again.

He sighs deeply, “You can speak”

“I _know_ I can speak” She turns to scowl at him, “I’m just not sure when”

Bucky runs hand through his face, “Look, Jane”

Jane straightens on the couch as Bucky walks towards her. It was the first time he had said her name and it sounded nice coming from him.

_Stop it, Jane_.

“I don’t own you” Bucky says, “I’m not going to… Punish you for doing something I don’t like” He adds, “but people outside this room might”

Jane doesn’t say anything. She knows he’s right, besides, he knows more about what happens outside than her.

“I’m sorry if I offended you” Jane says after a few seconds, “And for staring” she adds, feeling her cheeks burn.

“Good” Bucky says, and then after a few seconds, “I’m going to get me some food” 

She nods and goes back to her book, even thought she doesn’t feel like reading anymore. Bucky leaves the room then, and Jane is left alone again. Every interaction with Bucky left her wondering about him, it should leave her in a panic state or maybe even alert, but for some reason they only reassure her that he isn’t going to harm her, she feels somewhat safe in his presence. Not from him, maybe, but safe.

“No, Jane, he kidnapped you” She scolds herself out loud, closing the book after a few seconds.

Well, someone else did, she just ended but with him. And if she really thought about it, he didn’t even want to be near her (purely observational conclusion) All Bucky had done was left clear that he wanted her to stay out of his way, and from his things. The man was territorial. And paranoid, always seemed to be alert of his surroundings even thought he was alone. Like a caged animal.

“A golden cage is still just a cage” She says to the quiet room.

She looks around her and sighs deeply, her mind running a hundred miles an hour despite feeling tired. The night was cool outside and the room too, since the only window in the room remained open, but the Mother had been sent in that morning right after Bucky left – to get her food, bathe her, check her for injuries and give her a “tonic” used to prevent pregnancies – she had given Jane a thick blanket and a new dress that thankfully wasn’t as… revealing as the other one. The Mother had also asked Jane to do as her new owner pleased, it was better than to prevent the inevitable, and Jane for some reason had been close to tell her that Bucky had been kind towards her. 

There’s a knock on the door. She doesn’t really think before walking towards it and opening it. Her heartbeat rises when she realises that the man that pushes past her to enter is not Bucky.

He’s tall and thin, paper pale and he’s wearing a nervous expression as he closes the door behind him slowly. What really baffles Jane is the scars on his face and the unfocused look in his shifty eyes. Reaching for the scissors under the pillow she takes her eyes off him for a split of second, but she is pinned against the couch and before she is able to and thin, long fingers cover her mouth and nose before she can scream.

“Shh! Shh! They are going to hear us” He says against her ear, “I’m sorry, beautiful, so, so sorry”

She feels the bile rising to her throat when the man kisses her cheek, inhaling sharply against her neck, on his other hand Jane can see the shinny blade of a knife. Jane opens her mouth and bites down as hard as she can, the man groans in pain and she kicks his groin, kicking the knife away and moving away from him as he falls on his knees.

“Help!” She yells, running towards the door, “Help! Bucky!” 

“No! Wait!”

He grabs her hair and pulls hard, dragging her down to the floor. Jane hits her head in the process, a hollow sound against the rugged floor, she feels dizzy for a few seconds before she registers the heavy weight on top of her.

“Let me go! No! Let me-”

“Stay- Don’t move!” 

A fist connects to her temple before she manages to push him off and tries to crawl away from him. Despite his looks, the man is strong, he drags her towards his body as if she was a rag doll, gripping her ankle tightly as he reaches for the knife again. He wanted to kill her, that was for sure, and he hesitates before gripping the knife tightly as his hand finds his way around Jane’s neck, cutting the air supply to her lungs.

“No, please… You don’t have- You don’t have to do this” 

“Yes I do! I have to- to kill you”

The room is spinning, the lack of oxygen starting to affect her. She’s chocking and her wrists above her head hurt as the man tightens his grip. She closes her eyes as he lifts the knife, but the blow never comes. 

“Russo!” 

All movement stops. 

“Get the fuck off her”

Her eyesight is clouded and she tries to focus it, warm blood is dripping down her left eye and cheek. When the man lets her go, she takes a deep breath in.

“Bucky?” She coughs.

Bucky grabs the man by his collar and pushes him against the nearest wall. He punches him once and the man falls to his feet, only to stand again and struggle against Bucky’s grip. Jane tries to stand by herself, but when she does the room spins violently around her. She hears the man asking Bucky to stop and the struggle ends, the man struggles to stand and when he does Bucky cages him against the wall.

“What is wrong with you?!” Bucky growls. 

“Buck- Bucky she’s trouble!”

Bucky fists the man’s shirt, “Russo, stop!” he yells, his face inches from the other man’s, “I’m going to take you to Zola“

“No! No, please! He will send me to the Barracks again!”

“You should have thought about that before-“

The thin man, Russo, slithers away from Bucky’s grip and runs towards Jane, she walks backwards away from him, the knife and the scissors too far from her reach, until her back hits the bookshelf and he grabs her wrists.

“Please! Don’t let him take me there!“ He screams, “Not again!”

His red rimmed eyes are wild and dark, like he’s on some kind of drug. His expression is the one of an insane man, and Jane can’t take her eyes off him as he screams at her, until Bucky grabs him and drags him outside of the room.

 

* * *

 

 

Bucky knew Russo was a troubled man – too much time in the Barracks could do things to a person. And his addiction to Supernova, a synthetic drug that was almost too easy to get for fools like him, had only worsened his condition, deteriorating his mind faster. It was bad to consume it, but it was worse to stop doing it once you’ve tried it once. He leaves Russo with one of Zola’s guards, who doesn’t look surprised at all when Bucky explains him where he found him, before going back to his room. He realises that maybe he shouldn’t have left Jane alone and feels a stab of guilt as he stands in front of the room.

He takes a deep breath and knocks on the door before opening it slowly.

“Jane” He calls, “It’s Bucky”

Two beats.

“You can come in”

Bucky opens the door and enters, closing it behind him. Jane is sitting on the edge of the tub, holding a cloth against her temple as she grimaces and he can see blood running down her cheek. He walks towards the glass cabinet to take out the medical kit, taking it to Jane.

He knows how it looks when someone doesn’t want to talk so he doesn’t say anything, dragging a small stool that was hidden under the bed and settling infront of Jane, he reaches for the antiseptic inside the kit and opens it. He reaches for a small bottle with blue tonic in it and offers it to Jane. 

“Drink this” He orders, “It’s for the pain… And the bruises”

She hesitates, but takes it to her lips sipping from it. The blue tonic was called Oxyproc, a very expensive tonic used by the fighters to numb the pain in seconds and heal bruises quickly. 

“Show me” He says, reaching for Jane’s hand.

Jane’s honey brown eyes stare at him, they are red rimmed and he knows she had been crying, There’s no tears right now but her nose is red and she sniffs before nodding and letting him touch her. The gash is not long but cuts in the head always bleed a lot. He drenches the cloth with alcohol and then gives it back to Jane. She is still looking at him, something between scared and curious. 

“It’s going to sting” He warns. 

He presses the cloth softly against her temple and she winces, covering his hand with hers when he is about to retrieve the cloth. 

“Are you dizzy?” Bucky asks, she nods, “We should go to the medic”

“No” Jane shakes her head, “Here it's fine”

Bucky nods tightly, “I shouldn’t have left you alone” She frowns, “I apologize”

There’s a long silence, Jane’s hand is covering his still and he feels slightly uncomfortable with the unfamiliar warmth of another person, he removes his hand and looks away.

“Why did he try to kill me?”

Bucky frowns. Russo was a thief and an addict, but he was far from being a killer, he was too much of a coward to take a life. Still, he had a knife on him, and he hadn’t tried to take anything.

“What’s going to happen to him?”

He looks at her, “Russo?” 

Jane nods.

Russo was going to be sent to the Barracks again, he was going to be forced to do twice the work the others did, as his mind deteriorates even more for the lack of Supernova on his system. Ironic, yes, but it was the consequences of using it. 

“He’s going to be incarcerated” He says instead.

There are no prisons in Arcadia, an offence gets you a free ticket to the Barracks, a serious crime is punished with death, he wants to ask if its like that in Glassmere. Or anywhere else. Bucky stands, he is about to leave when Jane’s hand stop him, holding his wrist. He looks at her and clenches his jaw. 

“The Barracks are worse than prison” Bucky says, “But that’s where’s he’s going”

“He’s sick, isn’t he?” She asks, letting his wrist free, “His eyes were-“

“Supernova destroyed the few working cells left in his brain” Bucky nods, “Look, he… what’s left of him-“

“You take that?”

He frowns, “No” Jane nods, “Drugs are forbidden in the rooms” he explains, “Like fighting outside of the Pit”

“And locks on the door”

Bucky nods, “And women”

When Jane doesn’t say anything he moves away from her. He runs a hand through his hair feeling too tired all of sudden, he considers having a drink before going to sleep but he chooses not to, starting to undress to take a shower, aware of Jane’s gaze on him. In other situation – moment, life even – he would be flattered, maybe even admit he actually likes looking at Jane too, she’s beautiful, but she’s a guest – that’s one way to put it – and even thinking about it like that feels wrong. 

“Why didn’t you sent me away?” 

She is also very annoying.

“I couldn’t” Bucky retorts, “Zola would have taken it as an act of rebellion against his Greatness Pierce” he adds, sarcasm dripping in his tone.

“You don’t like him”

He snorts softly, “ _No one_ likes Zola, he-“

“Pierce” 

Bucky tenses. Just being heard disrespecting “His Greatness” Pierce could get him sent to the Barracks, it was an act of treason and Bucky had been lucky not to be caught doing it so far. He finishes undressing and turns to Jane, trying to make her uncomfortable on purpose. It doesn’t work, Jane is still focusing on her wound.

“Why do you call him his greatness?” She asks when he doesn’t answer.

So she does feel like talking – shocking – He decides to take that bath after all. He walks towards the closet, where the servants leave the clean towels, soap, and some scented oils he hated and never used. 

“He’s a High Commander” he answers, wrapping a towel around his waist.

“Yes” Jane says, matter of factly, “But he isn’t a king” she then adds, “Or a god”

“You don’t call your high commander that?” He asks genuinely curious.

“Well, the High Commander was my father so I called him father” Jane says, following him across the room with her eyes, “but people simply called him sir or Mr. Selvig”

“Well, Pierce’s a fucking asshole with a God complex so…”

Jane laughs softly, his lips quick upwards and he turns to her. She’s wiping the rest of the blood from her face avoiding the gash in her temple, and he considers asking her more about Glassmere but she looks tired.

“You should get some rest”

She looks at him and nods, “Yeah”

“Take the bed” Bucky adds and Jane considers it for a second, “Just for tonight” 

“Thanks”

Jane stands and walks towards the bed, yawning as she slides under the blankets. Before he enters the shower Jane speaks again.

“I owe you one”

Bucky frowns. Jane had helped him the night before and now he returned the favour, She didn’t owe him anything. He wants to say that, to leave clear that between them there is no chain of favours starting, there can’t be, but when he hears her snore soflty he sighs and gets into the shower hoping no one else bothers her while she sleeps.


	4. Nightmares/Memories

_His lungs are burning and his legs are weak under him. They have been running for what feels like hours but they hadn’t being able to lose them. He falls then, and he’s submerged underwater for a few seconds, before he swims into the surface._

_“Hold my hand!”_

_He can’t, the hand trying to reach him it’s just too far. Someone was after them, the voices getting louder as they moved closer. He knows they aren’t going to make it, not the two of them._

_“You have to go!”_

_And then._

_“They can’t catch both of us”_

_“No!” It’s the answer, “It’s you and me!”_

_Until the end of the line._

Bucky opens his eyes.

Panting heavily as he becomes aware of his surroundings. He’s covered in a thin layer of cold sweat, wrapped in a blanket that feels too thick and too warm all of sudden. He kicks it off, and before he can stand a hand rests on his shoulder, squeezing lightly. Bucky jumps away from the touch, his gaze lifting to find a nest of brow curls looming over him.

“It’s me” A soft-spoken voice, “it’s Jane”

He blinks, his eyes adapting to the poor lighting.

“I don’t know how to turn the lights on”

“It’s- The panel next to- What are you doing?”

Jane shuffles. Light footsteps over the carpeted floor as she walks from the couch to the door, where the screen is. The faint light illuminates her profile and he can see her squint lightly before she starts pressing the screen with her finger.

“You were talking in your sleep” she says, “More like… whimpering"

Bucky grunts as he sits on the couch – the incredibly uncomfortable-for-sleeping couch he had slept on the last two nights – and runs a hand through his face and hair. He ignores her, feeling overwhelmed from the nightmare he just had. It’s a recurring dream, maybe a memory, that he hadn’t being able of figuring out, the only way he kept it away was when he drank before sleeping, but after what had happened he thought being alert would be a better idea, even if he knew he wouldn’t get much sleep. 

“Who’s Steve?”

He tenses.

“I just have to touch here?” 

The room lights up and he has to cover his eyes for a few seconds.

“Sorry” Jane says quietly.

“What time is it?” He opens one eye and looks at her.

She shrugs, “I don’t know” she looks around.

Bucky glances at the clock on top of the bed.

5:45.

He would have to wake up in an hour anyways, trying to go back to sleep was pointless. Jane could if she wanted to, he wanted to go to the training rooms early and maybe get breakfast afterwards, it was Friday and both the kitchens and the training rooms would be almost empty since many fighters left to spend their earning in the Slums. He pursed his lips and grunts when he notices Jane is hovering around him, looking at him curiously, the gash on her forehead looking swollen but she didn’t seem to be in pain.

“What?” 

Jane crosses her arms, adapting a defensive posture, “You were trashing in your sleep, I thought someone was trying to kill you or-“ 

“No one is going to try to kill me” he scoffs, standing from the couch.

“Yeah, well…” She shakes her head, “Are you alright?” 

Bucky turns and Jane is there, less than a few feet behind him.

“Why do you ask so many questions?” He asks annoyed, opening the glass cabinet to reach for one of the bottles inside.

He knows it's too early to drink, but he is going to need it if he's spending time in the gymnasium. The other fighters had been insufferable the past few days, asking about his reward and making lewd remarks about the subject.

“Well, you- you- I-“ 

“So eloquent this morning” He rolls his eyes, opening the bottle without bothering to get himself a glass.

He is about to drink from it, lifting it to his lips when Jane stops him, taking the bottle from his hand. Bucky clenches his jaw and glares at her, thinking she will make some snarky remark about his drinking habits.

“I need to ask you something" 

He scowls. 

“ _For_ something” She corrects herself.

Rolling his eyes he nods. Bucky finds her annoying, yes, but he can respect someone who holds their ground when talking to him, not many people did. Plus, she has the bottle now. Jane waits a few beats before taking a deep breath, maybe he should suggest her to have a sip of the amber liquid. Maybe that’s all she wants, she does look like she needs it as she shifts nervously. 

“I need you to take me to the Slums”

Well, that was unexpected.

He stares, “What”

Jane sighs, “The Slums, I need to go there“ 

She gives a few steps pass him, leaving the bottle in the cabinet ignoring Bucky's eyes on her. Jane looks up at him then, and she's close enough that he can smell the perfume in her hair and skin, or maybe is just the way she smells because he can’t remember her using anything as she bathed or dressed.

Not that he had started. Too much. 

“The hell makes you think you can-“

She covers his mouth with her hand, “Let me talk? Please?”

Her gaze is intense, she is determined to convince him. She probably won’t, but she can try. Bucky nods and takes her hand off his mouth, waiting a few seconds for her to gather her thoughts before she speaks.

“After I was captured I was taken to Hysteria with my sister, Darcy, she wasn’t a… Dove so we were separated” She explains, “The other women said that the ones who were taken away ended up working in the Slums, to businesses there where girls are needed”

Jane bites her bottom lip, unsure if her explanation is enough to convince him, and it isn’t but Bucky doesn’t stop her.

She isn’t lying about other business hiring women, Natasha had been in Hysteria before being sent to the Slums after being clipped, he didn’t know if other businesses belonged to Madame Aida or is she had deals there. He then remembers her mentioning that she saw him during an Underground fight. The woman seemed to have her claws sunk everywhere. 

He shakes his head, “It’s too dangerous”

“the Mother said that I had to obey you in everything, even if you wanted to take me outside” Jane continues, “If you tell your- Zola that-“ 

“It’s Friday, Zola goes to the HighGrounds to hang around Pierce and the Lords to feel important” Bucky grunts.

Jane frowns, “You call the ministers, lords?”

He returns the gesture, “Ministers?” 

“In Glassmere there is the High Commander and he rules the council, and the council counts with ten ministers” Jane explains him, “There are no districts… or Walls in Glassmere”

Bucky always thought the hierarchies where similar in every colony. The High Commander, Pierce, controlled everything, there where Lord Commanders and then everyone else. 

There where several Lord Commanders per district – in Arcadia and three districts: The HighGrounds (Pierce, Lord Commanders or Ministers like Jane called them, and also where he lived), the Slums (the unlucky ones) and the Barracks (the _really_ unlucky ones). Most of the people in the Slums made a living doing hard work in the Barracks, the ones who had to live there had committed a felony of some kind.

“Bucky, please” Jane says, “I just need to know if she’s alive” 

He looks at her, “What if she is?” she frowns, “You see her and then what?”

She looks confused by the question, “We come back here" 

“No” He says sharply, “You _leave_ and I’m sent to the Barracks for the-“

“I know that if I escape you will be… incarcerated” she says quietly, using the same word he had used last night.

It was true. If she disappeared he would be found guilty of conspiracy, Jane was… Property of Arcadia.

“I promise you that I won’t”

Jane swallows tightly.

Why should he trust her? he barely knows her, in fact, he doesn’t at all. He is suddenly aware how close they are, Jane knows they could be heard, she isn’t dumb, she hasn’t bothered in playing coy either. He towers over here, putting everything he has on his glare. 

“Why should I trust you?” He says, “What assures me that you won’t escape the moment you get the chance, hm?” 

“I won’t” She answers without skipping a beat, “I know I don’t have a chance to escape, I just want to see my sister”

“Why should I trust you, Jane?” He repeats.

“I’m safer with you than outside of this building” She answers, “Outside of this _room_ ”

Jane tries looking away but Bucky makes her look at him, his hand holding the back of her neck firmly but without being rough. He scans her face but doesn’t find fear in her eyes or a hint that she’s lying. He is confused now, not sure of what game she is playing, and for a moment – a split of second, really – he thinks maybe he’s just being paranoid.

“I just want to see if my sister is alive” Jane adds.

“You really think I can help you?”

Her brow furrowed and she shakes her head softly. 

“I _know_ you can” She says quietly, “That’s why I’m asking you this” her voice comes out shaky.

Bucky wants to ask her why doesn’t she seem afraid of him. She had been bought for him, as if she was some piece of furniture he had wanted, the only reason she was there was for him to… He had been nothing but cold towards her. Right? Yeah, he had kind of saved her life, but it had been only because she had sutured his wounds – he was being thankful, not starting a chain of favours – that didn’t mean he cared for her, he was just… No, he wasn’t a good person.

He lets her go.

“You have to let the Mother know you are going out with me” He says after a few seconds, “We leave when I come back tonight” 

He doesn’t bother in looking at her before he leaves the room.

 

* * *

 

Jane was standing in the middle of the room fresh from her bath, waiting to be dressed. Her feet shuffling awkwardly as the Mother unpacked the things she had brought for her evening out. Apparently, it was necessary for her to dress her and bathe her every day, the “pampering” was courtesy of Madame Aida, a treat for pleasing her buyer. _Host_ , like she had called him. The older woman had already scolded her for the gash on her temple - as small as it was - telling her that if it didn’t faded by the end of the month she would be considered a damaged good and wasn’t going to be sent to Hysteria for the auction.

Jane wished it didn’t fade.

The night had already fallen and she was more aware of the cold than the night before. The mother had already painted her face and was now brushing her hair, letting her curls fall on her shoulders and tickle the lower part of her back. Jane reaches to tangle her fingers on her hair, she had never had it that long before and she smiles softly because she actually likes it. The _only_ change she was okay with really.

“You need to listen to everything he says, Tulip”

Jane lowers her gaze and nods.

“He wouldn’t say how did it go with you last night” The older woman continues, “He’s… Reserved”

Jane frowns, not really understanding what is she trying to get at. 

“He’s also _very_ handsome, isn’t he?”

She stays silent for a few seconds, “He is, Mother” it’s not a lie. She can admit that, despite having the manners of a caveman, Bucky was indeed handsome.

“You are a lucky girl, most of the other Doves end up being clipped by men who aren’t appealing as this Legionary is” Jane rolls her eyes, “Yes, they shower them with gifts, jewellery and sweets, and maybe make them climax once or twice during their stay, but having a young, virile, good looking man for a month for one-self is much better than any trinket in all Arcadia” Jane looks at her feet, “He must have kept you awake last night and the night before too”

Jane blushes at the woman’s words.

During her “Training” at Hysteria, the Mother had been… direct during her lessons, but being surrounded by giggling women seemed to be better than talking about it one on one. She blushes harder when she remembers Bucky is just outside the room, probably listening to what the woman is saying.

The mother continues talking. 

“His cock is big too” Jane’s eyes widen, “He didn’t bother in covering himself when I arrived with Zola last time I saw him” She winks, “And he’s cut too” 

Jane knew the difference between a circumcised penis and one that wasn’t. She had seen pictures in anatomy books and Mother had explained it to the girls before, but she hadn’t looked at Bucky’s for enough time to actually see how it look in the flesh.

“Tulip”

“Yes, Mother?”

“He isn’t rough with you, isn’t he?”

“No, not at all, Mother” Jane shakes her head, it was true, apart from when he asked if she was a spy for some reason, he hadn’t even touched her, “He’s… kind” Jane says. 

“Kind” The older woman repeats flatly. When Jane nods, The Mother pursed her lips and hums, “Make sure to drink your tonic every morning”

“Yes, Mother”

The Mother cups her cheek and smiles at her softly, gesture she had done several times before but Jane hadn’t grown accustomed to, before going back to the bed where she had left the dress for Jane.

“Mother” Jane says, “Where am I going to be taken at the end of the month… If I’m good?” she dreaded the answer, but she had to know anyways.

The older woman walks towards her with the sky blue, satin dress she had picked for Jane, and for a moment Jane doesn’t think she’s going to answer, she only asks her to lift her arms and slides the dress over her head, zipping it afterwards. It’s a long sleeveless dress with a low-cut neckline, she has a choker necklace that let everyone else know that she’s not to be touched by anyone but her Host, unless he gave permission. She offers the woman a quick of the lips when she throws a cloak over her shoulders and tells her it might be too cold outside.

“Tulip” Jane looks at the older woman, “As long as you are good, I’m not going to let anything to happen to you” 

For the Mother that might have sounded comforting, Jane thinks, but the words resonate in Jane’s ears like a warning. She knows it’s the woman’s job to keep Jane controlled, she had seen another Mother being punished after one of the girls had escaped under her watch and it wasn’t something Jane would wish to anyone. Jane was starting to think everyone in Arcadia, from the HighGrounds to the Barracks, was owned by someone else. Except for Alexander Pierce.

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely” She whispers.

“What was that, Tulip?”

Jane shakes her head glancing down, “Nothing, Mother”

A knock on the door makes them both turn. 

“Come in” The mother calls. 

Bucky opens the door. He looks… cleaner, and seemed to had also been told to dressed in nice clothes – black slacks and a white dress shirt, shinny black shoes on his feet – his face clean shaven and hair pulled back into a ponytail. The Mother reminds her to behave and offers Bucky a small reverence before leaving. 

“You are wearing  _that_?” Bucky asks, accommodating leather coat on.

“Obviously” Jane retorts.

He purses his lips, “Alright, let’s go”

Jane nods, feeling nervous all of sudden. She clutches the cloak tightly when Bucky opens the door, the coolness from the halls entering the room, Jane curses under her breath and shivers. Bucky chuckles and offers her his arm before she can step outside of the room. There’s a man outside – the driver who will take them to the Slums barely ten minutes away from the HighGrounds – he smirks when he sees Bucky pinning her against the door, his hand finding his way inside the cloak, her breath hitches.

“You look beautiful” He says, loud enough for the driver to hear.

Jane is about to push him away, but instead she looks at him in the eyes. He lets her, before moving hide his face in the crook of her neck, leaving a small barely there kiss before whispering to her ear to go with it. It’s for show Jane realises, the driver was sent by Madame Aida, she had seen him before around Hysteria, she remembers the thick scar over his left eye when he looks away from them, and at the silver incisor when his smirk widens.

“There’s a dagger in your pocket now” Bucky whispers, voice husky.

“Legionary” The driver calls, clearing his throat, “We can go now”

“Good” Bucky says, not taking his eyes off Jane’s.

“I’m trusting you, Jane”

It’s loud enough for only her to hear. He then leaves a kiss on her cheek, where she knows she has a beauty mark. It’s not real, but it sends shivers down her spine, and Bucky gives her a small nod before he is gone. Jane grips the dagger in her pocket and lowers her gaze when the driver smirks at her, walking behind Bucky wondering if he could tell she had been affected by it.


	5. Glass half empty... Glass half full

Arcadia is beautiful. At least the HighGrounds is, until they reach a long, very tall gate that separated them from the Slums. In Glassmere, they didn’t have walls to divide their citizens and the life quality in each corner of the Colony was the same, she joined her father in visits to the citadel every month – despite it not being her job, but once she was of older maybe she could be chosen by the citizens to be High Commander – to make sure the living conditions were proper. Pierce didn’t seem to care about that, safe in his gold tower while others lived under his thumb. She turns to Bucky, who is looking at her when she does. 

“What” She mouths at him.

They can’t talk.

The driver – Skaar, she remembered half way through the HighGrounds – had been occasionally glancing at them in the rear-view mirror. Bucky shakes his head softly and takes his eyes off her, looking outside of the window for the rest of the ride. The car stops minutes later and Bucky steps outside almost immediately, rounding the car to open the door for Jane before Skaar does, he looks nervous or just uncomfortable as a few people look at them.

At the car, really.

Cars were still common despite them not being fabricated anymore, but fuel was expensive so only the wealthier citizens – commanders, ministers, lords and business owners – used them to move around the cities. in Glassmere they had working cars, but could only be used during the summer, in winter the fuel froze and they had to use carriages pulled by horses like they did in the medieval times, although being used to it, Jane didn’t consider it so primitive as other colonies might. She mentions it to Bucky when Skaar leaves and Bucky chuckles.

“How did you move around during winter?”

“Carriages” She answers, “Pulled by the finest horses in all the New World” she smiles sadly at the memory.

Bucky’s lips curve upwards, “Don’t they get tired”

Jane shakes her head, “Glassmere is a lot smaller than Arcadia, it’s the smallest colony actually, the horses don’t have to move around too much”

Bucky grabs her by the waist and pulls her towards him as they walk into the most crowded part of the Slums. She tenses at that, but not because his hold is unwelcome but because she doesn’t know what to do to… Reciprocate, or if she should. Back in the room it had been because Skaar was observing them, but now no one seems to be paying attention to them. Still, Bucky looks more alert than he always is.

“Don’t get lost” He says on the shell of her ear.

She can’t help but feel like Bucky does know his effect on her. The often proximity is new for her, of a man that is, and he seemed to have noticed it even before she did. 

“Why are you doing that?” She asks. 

Bucky frowns, “What?” 

She shakes her head, “Nevermind”

 

* * *

 

Bucky isn’t use to visit the Slums with someone by his side. Hell, he had never done it before, not even when the other fighters went out for drinks on their free days he went with them. He pulls Jane closer, he knows there are pickpockets and thieves around, and the fact that Jane was dressed how she was didn’t help much, a woman like that was hard to miss. 

“Why are you doing that?” 

He frowns, “What?”

She doesn’t answer so he lets it go.

If Jane wanted to find someone he knew exactly who they should ask first and where to go. The Sticky Horse is packed with people as always, is the biggest and most popular cantine in the Slums, ran by Phil Coulson, an old friend of Bucky’s and pretty much the only reason he spent so much time there. That and the good beer. The man smiles at him when he sees him, always happy to see him alive after a week where he knew Bucky had to fight. His smile falls when he sees he has company.

“Glad to see you in one piece” Coulson says as they sit on the bar, “And who is this gorgeous lady?” 

Jane looks at Bucky.

“She’s… Jane”

Coulson glances at him.

Coulson’s daughter, Daisy, had been taken to Hysteria years ago as a punishment for missing a payment on the establishment – Which sadly was legal - and he disapproved of anything that had to do with that. Bucky had helped him get her back, that was a big part of the reason why they became good friends. That and Bucky always gave him a hand when a fight broke out.

“Can we go to the back?” Bucky asks.

After a few seconds Coulson nods, “Melinda!”

The beautiful, but deadly, woman appears behind the counter smiling widely when she sees Bucky. He stands and hugs her, she leaves a big kiss on his cheek and then turns to Jane. Coulson whispers something in her ear and she nods. 

“I’m Melinda, sweetie” She says to her, “Call me May” 

“May” Jane nods

Bucky observes the interaction. Jane is not as tense as when Bucky had told Coulson her name. Maybe it was a woman’s thing or a May thing, she was good with people.

“We are going to the back” Coulson says, “Keep the lady company, yeah?” 

May nods, “Of course” she smiles at Jane.

Bucky stands but Jane grips his jacket. He looks at her and whispers to her ear that is alright, reminding her about the dagger he had given her for protection – not that she would need it as long as May was keeping an eye on her, and he knew she would. When he pulls back Jane’s brow is furrowed in concern but she nods.

“May’s good” He assures her before joining Coulson.

Throwing a final glance towards her, he disappears in the back of the canteen with the other man.

The speakeasy is quiet, and Bucky sits in the corner of the room as Coulson paces back and forward with a flustered expression on his face. He stops pacing only to open one of the boxes of hard liquour behind him and picking up a bottle, opening it and drinking directly from it. Outside he can hear loud music, the people chanting and yelling, a few glasses shattering in the floor – the usual – only this time he is for some reason worried.

Jane, Of course.

The punishment for harming one of Madame Aida’s girls was two months in the Barracks. For a Legionary that meant missing at least eighth fights and their room in Zola’s tower.

"I heard about her, Rumlow and the others came to cackle about it and I couldn't believe it until I saw it" Coulson says suddenly.

Bucky sighs, "Pierce had her sent to my room, I wasn't told until I-"

"How old is she?"

Bucky looks at him, not knowing what to answer. He hadn't bothered in asking, wouldn't even know her real name if he hadn't lash out on her. Maybe he didn't had as much control on his temper as he thought. He runs a hand though his face, resting his elbown on his knees and Coulson curses.

"Are you taking her with you?"

Bucky raises his head, "Fuck no" he scowls, "why the hell would you say that?" 

Coulson stares at him, “You come here when I told you not to do so for a while, all lovey dovey with a-" 

"Lovey dovey?" Bucky chuckles, "pun intended?"

"So she's a Dove" Coulson says with an sccusatory tone.

" _Still is_ , if that’s what you mean" Bucky retorts sharply.

The fact that Coulson would even suggest that Bucky would do something like that to someone. He sighs heavily, holding his tongue and running a hand through his hair messing it up – He had been told to tied it up by the Mother, to look presentable as he “showed off” his Clipped Dove. He couldn't blame him, Coulson knew first hand what went down at Hysteria, May had been a Dove herself, and then Daisy... She had been fifteen when she had been taken from them. It was the reason why he had helped many of the girls once they were thrown off the house for being “too old”.

"I should have returned her as soon as I saw her" Bucky says.

Clouson sighs and shakes his head, "Someone else wouldn’t have... Given her time" 

Bucky knows that he was only delaying the inevitable. At the end of the month, in less than twenty days, he would be out of Arcadia for good and Jane... Jane didn't even know where she would be taken. He had heard her talking with the Mother, asking what would happen to her afterwards. The Mother didn’t answer but Bucky had an idea, if she wasn’t sold to a Lord she would be sent to work in other establishments. 

Or she wouldn’t be auctioned at all, being sent to be part of Pierce's harem. At that Bucky feels the bile rising to his throat.

"Why are you here with her anyways?" 

Bucky sighs heavily. He then does the same thing Coulson did – Stand up, open a bottle and drink from it – He's pretty sure he has a drinking problem at this point, but he can’t bring himself to care enough, the relieve alcohol gave him was hard to find, and he wasn’t going to become one of those Supernova zombies like Russo is. _Was_. 

"She is looking for someone" Bucky finally says, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, "a sister she was brought here with" 

Coulson hums. He knew everything that happened in the Slums, every person who arrived and everyone who left. About the last one he was responsible. 

"Where is she from?" 

"Glassmere" 

Coulson tenses. Bucky notices, and raises a questioning eyebrow.

"There's rumours that Glassmere was attacked a couple of months ago"

"She told me" Bucky isn't sure if he should tell him the rest.

"That son of a bitch" Coulson hisses, and Bucky knows he’s refering to Pierce, "you know one day, soon enough, he's going to pay for all the fucked up shit he's done" 

"Cheers to that" Bucky takes another swing of the bottle.

Coulson chuckles. He looks at Bucky.

"So this sister" The man starts, "name? Age?"

He proceeds to describe Darcy just as Jane had done that morning.

 

* * *

 

Jane tries not to glance to much towards the room Bucky had disappeared with the bar owner a few minutes ago. May, who had obviously been trying to distract her was starting to notice that it wasn't working, but she didn’t seem to mind. She reaches inside her coat pocket and grips the dagger every time someone comes too close to her, relaxing once they had gotten their drink and left.

"What's your name, sweetie?"

Jane blinks.

"Your _real_ name"

"Jane" She answers a few seconds later.

May smiles softly, "Bucky and Coulson will be just fine, they’re just catching up" 

She swallows and nods.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty" she then adds, “I'll be twenty one in winter"

May smiles, "You are a Dove, aren't you?"

She knows May thinks she isn't, the whole bar too because of the collar around her neck that said she had been “clipped” already. It was like wearing a big scarlet “A” sewn into her clothes. May slides her hand over the table, reaching Jane's and squeezing lightly. Jane lifts her gaze and looks at May. 

"I know Bucky _hasn’t_ " May says quietly.

Jane waits a few beats and nods. Offering May a small smile.

"I was from Hysteria too" May continues.

Jane's eyes widen.

"My husband Phil – Coulson that is – meet before my clipping, I hated him at first, thinking he only wanted to show off his credits" May chuckles fondly, "Then I realised he actually wasn't a Lord and he didn’t have enough credits to even talk to me"

Jane tilts her head curious. 

"When I was sold to a Lord, he followed, and I was too selfish to let him go" 

“You… You are sold after being Clipped” Jane says quietly.

May frowns slightly and nods, “You weren’t told?” Jane shrugs, looking down at her hands.

There’s a pregnant pause and Jane feels the pity stare of May on her for what feels hours. She doesn’t want to think about what would happen and May looked like she didn’t want to tell her, Jane doesn’t want her to relieve it.

“Please, continue” Jane says. 

May does, “my Lord found out about us, and told him that it was forbidden for us to continue unless he paid for me" She says, "He disappeared for two years” Jane looks up at her confused, “One day he came back with one million credits to his name, and two years later we adopted out daughter Daisy" May has a glint in her eyes, "Not a very traditional love story, I know but... The day he took the collar around my neck was the happiest day of my life"

“So… He bought you?” Jane asks quietly.

“No, darling” Mary chuckles, “He bought my freedom” 

"Freedom is not free" Jane says quietly, a sad smile on her face. 

May stares at her for a few seconds, the smile on her face fades slowly and when Jane realises it she clears her throat and straightens on her chair. A fight breaks out a few feet from them and May excuses herself, disappearing for a few minutes while Jane keeps her eyes on the door that lead to the back of the establishment – a speakeasy – hoping Bucky returns as soon as possible.

"My daughter was also taken by Aida"

Jane looks at May, who had said the name like it was poison in her mouth.

"I'm sorry" Jane says. 

"Bucky gave her back to us"

She frowns. May looks at the door before leaning in.

"We knew him from when he was a boy in the Barracks, he used to escape and come here to buy food" May explains, "He stopped coming for a couple of years and then we heard he had become a Legionary, after Pierce bought him he started coming here with some of his earnings, saying we could use it to to repair a thing here and there, when Daisy was taken he was furious, as much as we were"

Jane licks her lips, “Were he and Daisy..."

May shakes her head chuckling, "Daisy always said they were like sisters" She answers, “Besides, my daughter prefers the… company of other ladies" 

It takes her a few seconds to understand. And she hears Darcy’s voice telling her that when she fell in love – which was every few months – she didn’t care for what was between the person’s legs or wasn’t. Jane liked the thought of falling for a person and not their gender. Love was love.

“Bucky never really showed interest in her either, always too busy looking over his shoulders to pay attention to the women who _did_ show interest in him”

Jane nods.

“Anyways, the days after Daisy was taken he entered through those door, punched a few men who were fighting for a half empty bottle of beer and then he said to me that the next time he entered through those doors, Daisy would be with him”

“And he did” Jane says.

May nods a smile on her face, "He's a good man" she says distracted, dusting the glass in her hand, "he doesn't believe it but he is"

The door behind them finally opens and Bucky steps outside with Coulson. Jane glances at him and Bucky nods at her, he sits next to Jane as Coulson goes back to his place behind the bar. He pours Bucky a drink, Jane wrinkles her nose when he empties the glass in one swift movement, and then leaves it on the wooden bar. 

“We’re leaving” Bucky tells her, “Coulson, May”

Both nod. And when Bucky stands Jane does too, offering a polite nod to them before following Bucky outside.


	6. Forking Paths

Bucky walks among the crowd with Jane at his heels. Coulson had told him about Daisy’s new job at Haze – one of the most popular clubs in the Slums, since it hired only women to work there – She worked sort of undercover there to get information of whatever happened between the Slums and the HighGrounds. The place was often visited by some of the richest men in Arcadia because, unlike in Hysteria, the owner didn’t keep record of their clients. He turns to Jane and almost panics when he realises she’s not behind him, he glances around and sees her a few feet from him. 

He grunts and walks towards her at a fast pace. She had been distracted by a few caged dogs that were probably going to be used for the dog fights that were carried in the establishment nearby.

“Hey” 

Jane looks at him, “I didn’t know dogs were aloud in the Slums”

They were, people just couldn’t afford having one as a pet. She crouches infront of the cages and pets one of the dogs through the cage. Bucky purses his lips and grabs her arm helping her up, glaring at a man that follows Jane with his gaze. She sighs as Bucky starts walking faster. 

“Don’t get separated from me” He tells her.

“I’m sorry”

There’s a scowl in her face that fades when Bucky looks at her. Like she just realised that Bucky is actually nervous, even concerned, despite not many people paying too much attention to them anymore. And yes, he is concerned for her – she looks like an easy target, okay? – besides, if something happened to her, if she had a new scratch when the Mother visited again, he would never hear the end of it, and he would like as little interaction with that woman as possible.

“Where are we going?” Jane asks.

“It’s…” He throws a quick glance at her, “A club”

“Like a dancing club?” She asks, not missing a beat. 

Bucky nods, surprised she knows about those. But then again, he doesn’t know how life in Glassmere was and he hadn’t bothered in asking her about it. Maybe once they returned to the room he would. Jane hesitates before linking their arms together, he’s taken aback by it at first but relaxes into it when she offers a nervous smile, like she isn’t sure her touch is welcome. And it is, but he doesn’t say it out loud. He stops walking when he sees the purple neon sign reading “Haze” infront of them.

“Here?” Jane asks. 

He nods, “Here”

Licking his lips he glances around them, before he looks at Jane.

“Listen, I’ll go inside while you wait-”

She scowls, “No”

“Nothing will happen if-“

“I’m going inside, Bucky” She insists, “If Darcy is there I will recog-“

“Jane” he sighs heavily, annoyed by her stubborness, “Look, Haze is not like Hysteria” 

“I’ve been in dancing clubs before, Bucky” She says flatly.

“Haze isn’t just a dancing club, Jane” he says, mimicking her.

Haze was a dancing club… Similar to Hysteria. Actually, women rather stayed at Haze than in Hysteria, the club paid almost as good and they didn't have to sleep with clients only… Entertain them, wearing a little less than what he had seen Jane wear the night they met. Also, men inside thought every woman was there to be touched, they wouldn’t care about the collar around Jane’s neck, and Bucky wasn’t going to start a fight because some idiot couldn’t keep his hands to himself. 

“If Darcy’s inside-“

“If she is, I will let you know”

Jane’s brow furrows, “If you are afraid I will escape as soon as I see her-“

“I’m not” He says, “Like I said, I-“ he takes a deep breath, “I trust you”

The problem isn’t that at all. In Hysteria – as far as he knew – the business carried was more private, always behind closed doors. Haze was known to be a little more free-spirited, but maybe he should give Jane the benefit of a doubt, perhaps he was painting her more of a… Prig – not to say prude - than she actually was.

“Fine” He says finally, “But try not to separate from me this time”

Jane nods quickly and they enter the building.

 

* * *

 

“Welcome”

The woman behind the counter smiles widely at them. Jane notices there’s not much security, aside from the recording cameras there were no guards in the entrance like the ones she had seen in Hysteria. Bucky nods at the woman and slides something to her, an identification card, she had heard citizens in Arcadia carried one, it also worked as a credit card and key to their residences. And possibly a way of them to be monitored.

“Let me take this”

The woman tugs from her cloak and Jane stops her.

“I’ll take good care of it” She adds, a smile on her face. 

Jane glances at Bucky, who had shrugged off his coat already. She nods and pulls from the string around her neck and lets the woman take the cloak off her shoulders, not having time to retrieve the dagger. But Bucky is with her, and he puts a hand around her waist as they walk inside the club, is warm his hand, and she can feel it as if it’s touching her skin, the fabric of her dress too thin to feel like it’s there at all.

Bucky doesn’t seem to notice she’s aware of his touch and probably thinks she’s uncomfortable, moving his hand upwards to her back like is going to make any difference when in fact it feels more intimate, he unconsciously runs the tip of his fingers against her spine as he walks. Her skin bristles but Bucky’s hand is gone before he can notice.

“Here’s your table”

Jane hadn’t even realise the woman from the counter had guided them through the crowd.

“Thanks, Sadie” Bucky says. 

The woman, Sadie, kisses Bucky’s cheek and then says something against his ear that makes him look at Jane. She couldn’t quite catch what it was, the music too loud for her to be able too. Sadie leaves then, and Jane slides across the cushioned seat when Bucky gestures her to sit.

“What did she say?” Jane asks. 

Bucky slides next to her, “That you could get paid a lot to only walk around with a drink in your hand” he answers. 

“Oh”

Jane feels a blush creep into her cheeks and she looks away, not wanting Bucky to see it even if the dim lighting might not make it possible. She looks around, to see if she finds Darcy’s face in the ocean of people infront of her, but when she does find a familiar face it isn’t hers. Another girl that had been trained with her called Judith – later named Rosebud by Aida – laughed loudly while sitting on a man’s lap. Judith, who was a few years younger than Jane, had actually wanted to be one of Aida’s girls, her father had given her to Aida in exchange for clearing a debt and she didn’t seem to care about it, saying that she would be bought by a rich man that would help her pulled her father out of the Slums.

A modern, twisted version of a fairytale.

The man has a hand on Judith’s waist, as he grins widely against her shoulder, Jane can’t help her grimace when she sees the tip of the man’s nose seems to be missing, the skin on his face marred with scars and angry red. 

“That’s Johann Schmidt” 

She turns to Bucky, only to find his face inches from hers.

“Do you know him?”

Jane shakes her head, “No” she answers, “I… Kind of know her” 

Bucky nods softly, “He’s one of the richest men in the Slums” he explains, his breath smells like mint, warm against her lips, “He’s the owner”

Like he can hear them, Johann Schmidt looks at them across the room. Jane turns to Bucky quickly, he’s not looking at her anymore, or at Schmidt, he’s looking at the bar where a woman nods at him and gives him a two finger salute. She knows that’s Daisy. 

“Drinks on the house”

Sadie smiles when she looks at her, but her smile is directed towards Bucky.

“And this too, handsome” She slides a piece of paper over the table and Bucky takes it, “Enjoy your evening”

The woman leaves followed by Jane’s gaze. Her dress is similar to Jane’s, but is adorned by sparkling beads instead of plain blue and the fabric is transparent, it flows in a way that Jane knows hers doesn’t as she walks away and disappears into the crowd. The drinks she had left for them are bright purple, much like the neon sight outside the building, and it doesn’t look appealing at all, she reaches for it but Bucky stops her. 

“You don’t have to drink it” 

She looks at his hand over hers and nods. Bucky swallows both drinks for them. 

“There’s a… Someone waiting for us in the back”

Jane frowns, “What?” 

Bucky shows her the piece of paper.

 _Dream Room 8 in 5 mins_.

He throws his arm around her then, moving closer to whisper to her ear.

“Redskull’s looking at you”

Jane lifts her gaze but Bucky stops her with two fingers under her chin, making her look at him instead. The hand on her shoulder caressing her skin softly but barely there, like he’s asking permission to touch more. 

“Redskull?”

“Schmidt calls himself that” He says.

She nods. It fits, she thinks.

“Is he… Like Pierce?” 

Bucky frowns slightly, “What do you mean?” 

Bitting her bottom lip, she shrugs slightly, “Bad” she says for the lack of a better word. 

“No one is like Pierce” Bucky answers after a few seconds.

She takes a shaky breath in. Bucky is looking at her with a small frown, and she knows he is wondering why she seems curious about “Redskull”. She isn’t, it’s Rosebud who worries her, despite having spent less than two months with her she cared. Jane accommodates on the seat, unsure if Bucky is touching her again because of Redskull’s gaze on them or because he actually wants to.

“Is he still looking this way?” she asks quielty.

Bucky shrugs, looking at her, “I don’t know”

His knuckles send a pleasant shiver down her arm. And she wants to lean into it. To let herself enjoy the warmth emanating from his body, and he is _so_ warm, almost humanly impossible so, but she isn’t sure she should. She shivers when he sighs, his breath brushing her lips.

“Are you scared of me?” 

Jane shakes her head, “Should I?” 

He stays quiet a few seconds, “No” 

“Mister James”

They both look at Sadie. Bucky’s warmth is gone as he straightens in the seat.

“Your room is ready”

He nods and gestures Jane to stand. Sadie seems taken aback by it but tells them to follow her anyways, saying how not many women go to the rooms, not even if they were being paid. They walk through a long hall with several numbered doors, inside Jane can hear music in some, laughs in others and she swallows keeping her gaze on the back of Bucky’s head. 

“Here” Sadie days, “Enjoy”

Bucky nods and he waits for Sadie to leave to open the door for Jane. It’s very spacious inside but not very furnished. There’s a big round bed in the middle of it that reminds Jane of the one in Bucky’s room, a glass table with a small fridge next to it, a long L shaped couch and a loveseat. The woman inside smiles widely, and Jane’s heart sinks because it’s not Darcy, thought she isn’t sure why she was expecting it to be her.

“And what do we have here” She walks around Jane, “A recently clipped Dove”

The woman takes Jane chin and makes her lift her gaze, hooking a finger around the collar at Jane’s throat. She pouts her lips and Jane narrows her eyes at her clamping her jaw together, the woman smiles though, turning to Bucky.

“She’s lovely” She says, lips curling around the words.

“No touching her” Bucky says warningly. 

“Of course, sir” And her grin only widens, “My apologies”

She's dressed in a similar way to Jane – she was starting to think the “uniform” Aida made the Doves wear was some sort of costume for everyone outside – red stained lips that widen with a mischievous cheshire-wide smile when Bucky speaks. She turns to him then, and Jane lets out a shaky breath. She was intimidating. 

“Call me Elektra, love”

Walking towards the other end of the room, towards the table with several bottles on top of it, Elektra reaches for a glass. Jane sees the bowl of red fruit next to her, and then Elektra speaks. 

“You can sit wherever you want, bird” 

Jane nods, walking towards the couch, glancing nervously at Bucky who is being approached by Elektra. With pursed lips, she gives Bucky the glass, which he takes hesitantly. 

“Champagne, dear, only found in Haze” she winks.

“Of course” Bucky says flatly. 

Elektra chuckles. 

"I don't get many Legionaries" She continues, "But when I do they are always so tense" She puts her hand on Bucky’s shoulder and glances at Jane, "and lonely"

Jane rolls her eyes in annoyance. Neither Bucky or Elektra pay attention to her, so she stays quiet, biting the inside of her cheek as Elektra continues to circle Bucky as if he was prey.

"There was a group of women brought here from Hysteria a couple of months ago" Bucky says. 

Elektra flicks her tongue, “All business, I see” she sighs dramatically. 

It was obvious that Bucky knew his own town – and the people – better so she lets him talk. Besides, Elektra seemed more interested in what he had to say than whatever Jane did. The red fruit a few feet from her looked delicious, strawberries, and Jane glances at them a few times.

"Go ahead, dollface" Elektra says, waving her hand, “Knock yourself out”

Jane hesitates but stands up to reach for one. She knew Roseburn imported strawberries to other colonies, she visited one of their strawberry fields with her father when she was little. She wonders if Arcadia had already invaded other colonies like they did Glassmere, because that’s what Pierce seemed to be doing. She feels Elektra’s eyes on her as she grabs another strawberry, taking it to her lips. The woman smiles at Jane, suddenly next to her, and reaches to put a strand of hair behind her ear. 

"You are gorgeous" she says, before Jane can say anything she turns to Bucky, "But I never understood the fascination with Doves" 

Bucky looks at Jane and then back at Elektra, “That so”

"They are so _inexperienced_ and soft” she runs her knuckles against Jane's arm before continuing, “And boring” she takes the strawberry Jane had just grabbed and sinks her teeth on them looking at Bucky, "Legionaries are a… Special breed of men, rough and strong, they can't waste their time being delicate in bed when what they really need is to-"

"Tell us about Darcy" Jane cuts her off.

Elektra doesn’t take her eyes off her for a few seconds before she turns to Bucky, smirking at him. Jane doesnt feel like eating anymore, feeling uncomfortable around Elektra’s presence. She glances at Bucky while Elektra walks towards him.

"Yes, Darcy" she says, arranging the collar of Bucky's shirt, "fair skin, full lips and big breasts" Elektra counters, “Very good with people”

Bucky glances at Jane and she nods remembering how Darcy used to grab men’s attention when they visited the citadel. She was a beautiful woman, often described as outgoing and confident – Jane was often told she needed to be more like Darcy in that aspect, and only that aspect – hard to miss once she's been sent your way. Jane had admitted to herself to feel a little bit jealous, she would have like to carry herself like Darcy did.

“James, is it?” Bucky nods, as Elektra takes the empty champagne glass from his hands to leave it on the glass table, “The Winter Soldier”

She smirks and sits Bucky on the very comfortable looking loveseat, all that time Bucky followed her with narrowed eyes. When Elektra chuckles sardonically turning to him, Jane has to take a deep breath and count to ten not to lose her calm.

"What happened to her?" Bucky asks. 

Elektra rolls her eyes, making her way to him again. Bucky’s lips become a thin line as Elektra unbuttons his shirt, and both seem to have forgotten about Jane for a moment, the woman massages Bucky’s shoulders and she leans to him, smiling against the shell of his ear.

“Well, aren’t you tense, James”

Bucky continues, “What happened to Darcy, Elektra”

He grips Elektra’s hand and the woman pouts.

"She was magnificent with the clients, that Darcy" She starts, "she said that Glassmere didn't have places like this"

Jane's heart skip a beat at the mention of her home, Bucky glances at her and notices, ignoring for a second Elektra’s hand slithering inside his shirt and, for the woman's amusement and Jane’s distress, Bucky doesn’t protest when Elektra sits on his lap. 

"When some of the girls started saying they wanted to leave Arcadia she said she couldn’t just yet" Elektra continues, "Perhaps waiting for you to come see her, handsome" she starts leaving kisses on Bucky's jaw.

"She still in the Slums?" Bucky asks, grabbing her hand making her look at him, " _Elektra_ " he says firmly, jaw clenched. 

“I like how you say my name” Elektra pouts, and then shakes her head, "A lord from The Cinders visited and took her with him"

"What?" 

Jane and Bucky ask in unison.

Bucky glancess at Jane and Elektra’s eyes shift between them, she then grabs Bucky's chin and makes him look at her, before planting a kiss on his lips. One of her hands had disappeared between Bucky and her, and Jane realises she's... Groping him. Bucky breaks the kiss, his lips stained Elektra red, and he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

"I doubt that was part of the _deal_ , dollface”

Jane wonders what deal is he talking about, and her mind travels to Daisy working at the bar and Coulson sending Bucky to Haze. Bucky knew that information about movement between the Slums and the HighGrounds came from The Sticky Horse. Elektra looks taken back before she smirks at Bucky,

"And I thought you just weren't having enough fun"

Bucky stands up pushing Elektra off his lap, the woman sits on the loveseat with a smirk of her face as Bucky buttons up his shirt. He grabs Jane by the wrist and Jane is about to protest, Elektra seemed to be holding information, but Bucky shakes his head and she understands that there’s nothing else she knows. Darcy is gone. But she's alive and that’s what Jane truly cares about.

They don’t say anything as they leave Haze. Or when they get into Skaar’s car.

They arrive to the room and Bucky exchanges a few words with Skaar before the man finally leaves. Despite everything, Jane doesn’t feel the trip had been in vain, Bucky had kept his promise too, trusting her enough to even give her a dagger – that was still in her possession – and introducing her to what she thought were his friends. She lays on the bed staring at the ceiling while she hears Bucky pacing around the room, she should feel tired but she’s wide awake, and when Bucky calls her name from the bed she sits next to him.

“Are you alright?”

“I think so”

Bucky nods tightly, “I’m sorry about Darcy”

She bites her bottom lip, “She’s not really my sister” Bucky frowns, “But we grew up together… We-“

“There’s the family we are born into and then one we choose for ourselves” Bucky says.

Jane looks at him and nods with a small smile on her face. It disappears when she realises Bucky didn’t have  a family, and now neither did she.

“I’m going out for food” Bucky announces, standing up. 

“Yeah” Jane nods. 

“You still have the dagger” He says once he’s at the door, “Keep it”

And with that he leaves.

Jane stands from the bed walking towards the mirror. She hates the way the Mother had painted her, much like Aida had done, it made her look how Elektra had looked. Minus the sardonic smile she had been wearing as they left the Dream Room. She ties her hair up and undresses, folding the dress carefully and leaving it on the bed. The shoes she was given had been kicked under the couch and forgotten as soon they had arrived to the room, so she picks them up and puts everything over the wooden table between the bookshelf and the couch. When she stands under the spray of water in the shower she hums contentedly when the cold water hits her face. 

She should feel sad Darcy is gone, but she’s relieved instead, that she's somewhere else away from the hell Arcadia truly was. Scrubbing the make up off her face, she rubs the soap against her skin until is foamy, when she inhales she realises it smells like Bucky does – obviously Jane – except Bucky smells more... Earthy, like his skin adds something to the smell of the soap, maybe his sweat or just the natural smell of him. A warmth spreads through her body, settling on the bottom of her stomach, and she take her hand there. She remembers Elektra saying how soft and unexperienced she looked and Jane knew she was right, despite having touched herself plenty of times before she wasn't sure if she had experienced the relieve one was suppose to get from it.

Climax, Like the mother had called it. The euphoric state that so many books she had read before described. But that's all she knew.

Jane knew books better than her own body. 

The door opens and Bucky enters the room. When he realises she’s in the shower he apologizes and and she covers herself. She turns the shower off and steps outside, wrapping herself in a towel as Bucky turns his back on her, picking some food from the cart he brought with him. Jane dresses as fast as she can, trying to ignore the tingling sensation that spread across her skin, her body asking her to finish what she started. She swallows blushing furiously when she realises she had been touching herself in Bucky's shower. Thinking about how he smelled. About him. 

She sits on the couch, making sure they are separated by the food cart and picks up a bun of break, cursing Elektra mentally. 

 

* * *

 

Jane is quiet while she eats. He knows the information they got form Elektra hadn’t been what she wanted to hear, but it would have to suffice to know that Darcy was alive. And well, Bucky was pretty sure that any life outside of Arcadia was better than inside it's walls.

It take a few seconds for his nose to pick up the smell of his own soap on Jane. She had been showering when he entered the room, she liked to bathe with cold water – being used to the cold climate of her birthplace, maybe – so the glass hadn't clouded enough for him not to catch a glimpse of her. He scolds himself mentally but still he can't erase the image imprinted in his brain. 

Elektra had not only done a good job pissing him off, his body, touch starved after so many days without release had been left craving more. Back in the Dream Room, Bucky had maintained his posture, truly uncomfortable by Jane's presence in the room and Elektra’s hands on him at the same time. But now the fact that he had denied his body an expert touch and that he needed it more that wanted it seemed to be eating him up. And he wished he felt more tired so he could just fall like a stone on the bed, right into a heavy sleep.

He isn't too hungry anymore, his body hungry for something else. And Jane was there, now looking at him intently because he had stopped mid-chewing to think about his smell on her. His soap. His soap's smell on her.

"Thanks for tonight, Bucky" Jane says. 

He licks his lips and shrugs. Jane frowns slightly at his response, like she was expecting him to say something back, he thinks about it but can't bring himself to come up with something else to say. He chooses to offer her a small smile instead, that grows wider when she smiles back, almost relieved. He slides away the food place, not feeling hungry at all. 

"Listen, Bucky"

He stares at her. She looks away, blushing slightly under his gaze. And for a moment he thinks Jane might be aware of his state. 

"I wanted to ask if... If we could try to get along"

Bucky frowns. 

"You have been truly kind towards me" Jane continues, playing with the fabric of the sleeping dress she was wearing, "And you are” she sighs, “kind, I mean- you are a good man"

He shakes his head, "I'm not-"

"May said you didn't believe it" Jane says quietly.

Of course. May and her had a few minutes alone, Jane had probably asked about him, or maybe May had told her anyways.

"Thing is" Jane says, "you might be the last good person I meet"

She smiles sadly, and Bucky realises he had accepted whatever fate awaited her once they went their separate ways. He thinks about what he could say, but everything paled in comparison with the truth that Jane had finally voiced. She yawns and rubs her eyes, looking tired now that her stomach was full.

"You should rest" Bucky says.

"Yeah" she stands.

"Take the bed" 

She looks at him.

"Okay" 

Bucky follows her with his gaze until she reached the bed, sliding under the covers. He considers maybe taking the empty side of the bed since Jane barely uses half of it, but he scratches the idea. He cleans up and leaves the food cart outside of the room, where it would be picked up by the servants. Jane is asleep in seconds and he undresses, stepping into the shower for a much needed cold shower.


	7. Payback’s a bitch, bitch

Days pass and Jane doesn't mention Darcy again. The information Elektra gave them had been wasn’t what he had been waiting to hear and Bucky felt bad for Jane, she had looked hopeful but it was clear that she knew she would probably never see her sister again.

She did talk more – Sometimes too much and back at him – mostly about her knowledge for medicine, literature and history. Bucky was never really into any of those things, having the life he had, he didn't have the luxury of actually enjoying minimal things like that so he tried not to grow attached. He didn't talk much with her about his personal business in the Pit even thought she was curious about it, so every time he entered the room after training Jane would sit on the couch quietly, normally reading a book, and she wouldn't talk until after Bucky started a conversation, which normally went something like "Did you eat?" And end with Bucky saying he needed silence to sleep. Jane then would sigh and continue reading.

Today had been a training day – a particularly exhausting one – and he had sparred with Rumlow in the gymnasium. The man had killed the Punisher, the only fighter other than Bucky with a hundred wins, in a fight the day before and had bragged about asking for a Dove too, something that for some reason had pissed Bucky. After a small altercation, Zola had sent both back to their rooms for the rest of the day.

He opens the door and slams it closed, letting Jane know that he had arrived and wasn't in the mood to talk. But instead of finding her reading like always, he hears a splash of water, and Jane's head peeking out the bathtub.

"What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing there?"

They ask in unison.

"I didn't think you would be here so soon" Jane explains.

Bucky flattens his lips and walks towards the glass cabinet. He turns to Jane when he hears more splashing, and she's looking at him curiously, now submerged from the nose down. The smell of Lavender is almost dizzying, and he is about to scold her for using those disgusting oils that the servants left in his closet all the time, when Jane lifts her head and speaks.

"Where did you get that?"

Bucky raises an eyebrow, "Bourbon" he corrects, pouring himself a glass of amber liquid, "It was a gift"

"Oh" 

"There are plenty of distilleries in the Slums" Bucky adds, "But nothing they sell taste like this one" 

He stares at the glass before he takes a sip. Jane is looking at him still, she stares a lot and sometimes too much, and he looks away to pour himself more bourbon realising the bottle is almost empty. Erskine had told him that it was over a hundred years old, a relic from the Old World that he had been saving for a special occasion. Before he died, Ersike – who had been the one who took him out of the Barracks – gave it to him and told him to drink it whenever he wanted, not to wait for an occasion that might never arrive.

“Is it good?" 

Bucky shrugs, “I guess”

"Do you think it tastes like soda?" 

Jane had read about sodas in one of his books. She had mentioned that in Glassmere they had ice cream, and in The Cinders they made chocolate, but she hadn’t heard from other colonies making the soft drink.

"I doubt it"

"What do you think soda tastes like?"

He sighs, "Why are you asking so many dumb questions?"

When he turns to Jane, she is scowling, hugging her knees as she adapts one of her defensive postures – despite being naked and wet – and Bucky wants to stare a little longer but he forces himself to look away, rolling his eyes as he does.

"Well, for starters, you are _never_ this talkative" She says sarcastically, "And- And second of all... You are suppose to share" she stammers with that one and Bucky wants to laugh.

"Are you even old enough?" 

He had been meaning to ask that since Coulson brought it up, but hadn’t seen the oportunity to do so without sounding too interested. He wasn't. It wouldn’t change the fact that the glances he’s been stealing from Jane were wrong, his eyes lingering on her as she was distracted are wrong.

"I'll let you know that I will be turning twenty one this winter"

He considers it for a few seconds and finally pours her a glass.

"Fine, but if you don’t like don’t spit it out" 

Jane rolls her eyes, and Bucky walks towards her, leaning against the marble surface and leaving his glass there. 

"Don't be rude"

"Don't be annoying" he quips.

 

* * *

 

It was nasty.

Not Bucky's attitute - althought that one was too - the amber liquid leaves a bad taste in her mouth before it burns her throat as it makes its way to her stomach. Luckily, she is in the bathtub and can puke if she wants.

"Good?" 

Jane glares at Bucky's back. Even though she can't see his face, she knows he's probably wearing a mocking smirk. A warmth sensation then spreads through her stomach, the “bourbon” finally settling in, and she wonders if all liquor had that effect. Or if soda did.

"It takes a while to get used to" Bucky finally says, taking the glass and draining what's left in it.

"Like everything else that's bad in this world" Jane says, mostly to herself, but she hears him hum.

Gathering water in her hands, she washes her face, and when she looks at Bucky, the man is staring outside of the window, where the sun is almost gone. She bites her bottom lip and plays with the bubbles on the water surface, wondering what can go through the man's mind.

"The air had salt in Catalean" 

Jane frowns, "salt?" 

Bucky turns to her and nods, "Salt" he repeats, "I remember smelling it in the air when I was a kid"

Jane blinks, even more interested now in whatever Bucky is thinking about. She rests her forearms on the edge of the tub and her chin on them, gazing curiously at the man a meters feet away from her.

"You weren’t born here in Arcadia?" 

Bucky shakes his head.

“And I can’t remember much about where I come from” Bucky says, "but alcohol seems to help" he adds, "I just don't remember what I remembered once it's out of my system" 

"That's a dilemma" Jane says quietly, then after a few seconds she adds, "Tell me"

Bucky turns to her, a frown in his face. And she curses at how interested in that she sounded, but she wanted to know more about Bucky, they could become friends even if they wouldn't have much time. Jane dreads the end of the month, where she'll be taken who knows where to someone that might not be as kind as Bucky.

"I can remind you afterwards" she says, "if you want" 

Surprinsigly, he seems to consider it as he moves towards the bottle and pours himself more, leaving only two fingers of liquid on it before he closes it and leaves it inside the gabinet. Bucky then walks towards her and sits on the floor, his back against the marble. She can only see the top of his head when she looks down to him, thick, black and wild hair that she wants to runs her fingers through. Her minds travel to a few nights ago, when Bucky had woken from a nightmare, he had been calling someone named Steve.

“You… you mention Steve” She says, “When you have nightmares”

“I don’t have nightmares” He says defensively. 

“Yes, you do” Jane retorts, “Except when you drink your… Bourdon before sleeping" 

Bucky sighs heavily, looking at his glass before taking it to his nose and inhaling. She wrinkles her nose, remembering not liking at all the smell, and then inhales the smell of lavender surrounding her instead. Is soothing, making her sleepy despite the water being almost too cold.

"I try but I can’t remember Steve" He says finally, “In my… nightmares” He admits, Jane’s lips quirk upwards, “I someone’s drowning, or I’m drowning, I’m not sure” he clears his throat, “There someone running after us and… That’s all”

Jane stays quiet for a few seconds, “That’s… anticlimactic”

Bucky grunts, leaving the glass on the floor next to him.

"Did you maybe fell from a boat?” She asks. 

"I don’t know" Bucky says after a few seconds, "There was a big… wheel thing in Catalean? I used to play there"

Jane nods, "It used to be a very important city, there was a... Amusement park of some sorts, ferris wheels were popular attract-"

"I'm leaving" He says suddenly.

Jane tilts her head confused by what sounds like a confession of some sorts. She had heard about the effects of ingesting alcohol but she wasn't sure which was this one, or if she would be also talking non-sense in a few minutes.

Bucky looks up at her, "I'm going to Catalean" he says, "or at least I'll try to, I might get caught, I might be killed..." He shrugs, "any of those is better than this" 

Oh.

All this time Bucky had been planning to escape, that's why he had tried to make himself so dislikable, he couldn't afford to care. Her mind then whispers to her that maybe that’s not it, maybe Bucky just sees her as an unfortunate prisoner that would be taken at the end of the month to be raped and sold anyways, whatever he did wouldn’t change the fact. She feels her chest tighten and Bucky sighs like he regrets telling her that.

Her voice is shaky when she speaks.

"Why would you go to Catalean? If Pierce's men took you from there maybe... Maybe they did what they did to Glassmere long before…"

Jane should tell him it was better to leave. If he could, he should do it that very moment, while everyone else in the building was asleep. She wouldn’t tell anyone where he went. But she isn’t. Instead, she’s pointing out how absurd the idea seems to her even thought she would leave too if she had where to go. 

"Maybe" Bucky says, "but I have to know" he then adds quietly, “just like you with Darcy” 

Deep inside Jane didn’t want him to go.

There’s a long pause then, and she thinks that maybe Bucky didn’t want to keep talking or maybe he had fallen asleep already. Jane stands from the tub, covering herself with a towel before stepping out. She glances at Bucky and notices he’s still awake, Bucky follows her with his gaze as she walks towards the couch, where she had left her sleeping dress. When she clutches the towel around her Bucky looks away and she dresses, looking at him to make sure he isn’t going to stare.

She doesn’t have to though, he never does.

 

* * *

 

"Let me come with you"

Jane’s fully dressed when he glances at her again, only to look back at the still half full glass in his hand. He barely had any alcohol, he needed it though, but still he told her about his plans of leaving Arcadia, about Catalean and even about… Steve. Whoever he was. Bucky couldn’t control the words leaving his mouth. Just like he couldn’t control his anger when he thought she was a spy, but it wasn’t because he didn’t have control of himself, he does, just not around Jane. Not anymore and maybe he never did.

He should have turn her away the moment he saw her. But he didn’t, and from that moment on, everthing that had happened had been part of uncontrollable chain of events that lead them to this conversation. 

“A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it…” He whispers to himself. 

Bucky shakes the thought away, not looking at her anymore. There wasn’t something as destiny, nothing was unavoidable.

"Bucky" Jane’s voice is quiet, but loud enough for him to hear, "At the end of the month… They are going to take me somewhere else" 

He knows. He had a better idea than her what awaited her. 

“I- I know every road and path towards the five colonies” Jane continues, “All my life I studied the stars and they can guide us”

Jane stands up and starts walking towards him. He shakes his head, rising to his feet, moving away from her. 

“I won’t- I just need to get to The Cinders, to Darcy and-“

“No”

Jane stops her rambling.

“Bucky-" 

“Just forget it”

He glares at her.

“Forget what I said”

Bucky walks pass her and Jane holds his wrist to stop him. He tenses, and when he turns to her she’s looking at him intensively, wrenching his hand from her like she’s made of fire he gives a few steps back, and then he looks at her and she looks like she’s made of glass. He can’t do it. He can’t promise her that they will be able to escape, that he can take her safely back to her sister and that no harm will come to her. Truth was, he cared for Jane, despite barely knowing her and he isn’t sure if he can say that anymore. 

“We can-“

“There’s no _we_ ” Bucky cuts her off, “Feeling sorry for you has gotten me into this mess, I’m not taking you anywhere else”

Jane looks like she had been slapped, and who could do something like that to her, but he continues.

“If you want to leave or to try to escape somewhere else, I don’t care, you can leave right now if you want” He walks towards the bed, reaching from the dagger he had given Jane, “Take this” He leaves it in Jane’s hands, “Take the gold you came with, _I don’t fucking care_ ” Bucky spits, “But don’t look back if you do”

Bucky walks towards the door. He need to leave that room, take some air that isn’t filled with that fucking lavender scent that is now in Jane’s skin.

“I just want to help you” Jane almost yells, throwing the dagger across the room, “I don’t care about the gold or-“ 

“No, Jane!”

Jane’s bottom lips trembles and her eyes are glassy as she swallows her tears.

He waits a few beats and when she remains silent he leaves the room, slamming the door as he does. The night was young, he could go to the Slums and have a much needed drink – and conversation – at Coulson’s. The man is going to be glad to know that he was right when he told Bucky he could mess his plans for the woman.

He is a few feet outside the tower building when he hears steps behind him, but before he can turn, someone throws a black bag over his head, holding his arms tightly behind him. He is thrown to the ground and he feels a heavy weight on his face as a foot is pressed against it and the man chuckles.

“Rumlow” He grits out. 

“Payback time” 

It’s the last thing he hears before the first blow.


	8. Men That Are Monsters

Bucky curls up when he is kicked again. His face fells like it’s on fire, he knows his nose it’s bleeding, he can taste the blood in his mouth and feel it running down his temple but he can’t see a thing. He can hear Rumlow is not alone and knows better than to try to fight several men, specially since they were experienced fighters and hated Bucky as much as Rumlow did. The beating stops and for a second there’s silence, only an annoying buzz inside his head because of the heavy blow one of them had thrown.

“… Hear me?”

He blinks several times.

“I said, can you hear me!?”

Rumlow growls at him.

“You are- are going to pay- Zola-“

Rumlow and the other men laugh.

“You really think Zola gives a fuck about you?” He says, “He _hates_ you, If anything I’m making him a favour”

The bag over his head is gone and he can finally look at Rumlow. He glances behind him and recognizes two other men – Bullseye and Doom, he didn’t know their real names and he didn’t care – then glares at Rumlow. Doom, Felix’s replacement and Bucky can’t help but think of it as a laugh of destiny or karma, passes him a bottle and Rumlow opens it, pouring it over Bucky’s clothes, the smell of freshly destilled liquor invades his nostrils and he tries wipping it off his jacket in vain, turning his head to the side to spit and watches it mix with the blood on the ground.

Rumlow fakes a gasp, “What the fuck happened to Winter?!” he exclaims. 

Bucky looks at him.

“He smelled of alcohol when we found him” Doom says, giggling like a mischevious child.

Bullseye then adds, “No, we didn’t see who beat him but he was coming from the Slums” 

The three men laugh and to their surprised Bucky does too. As he struggles to seat, feeling the stabbing pain on his ribs as he does. He looks at them, a sardonic smile plasttered on his bloody face.

“You…” He grits out, “Are a fucking pathetic asshole” he points at Bullseye and then at Doom, “And I don’t even know who the fuck you are” he turns his head to spit.

Doom is about to attack him but is stopped by Rumlow, who tells him to ignore him. The man then chuckles, croutching next to him and grabbing his face to make him look at him in the eye. The other two men look like hungry wolves waiting for the alpha to kill their prey, waiting to rip it apart and fight for the leftovers. Bucky chuckles and Rumlow growls at him.

“I’m going to beat you to death” Rumlow says, “Not today, no and not here” he sneers, “This is just a taste of what you’ll get when you get into that Pit with me” He points at Bullseye, “Or him” and then at Doom, “Or him”

Bucky scowls. He thought they were going to kill him, he really did. But if they aren’t, then he doesn’t see the point of leaving him in that state. Rumlow then reaches inside the front pocket of Bucky’s jacket and flashes him his ID card. The key to enter to the left wing of Zola’s Tower, where Bucky’s room was.

“I’m going to leave you here now, and go back to pay a visit to that beautiful bird of yours”

Bucky’s whole body tenses.

“And because unlike you I know how to share” Rumlow adds, “Doom and Bullseye get to play with her too”

“You sick fucki-“

Rumlow punches him, “No, Bucky” It’s met with laughs, “Oh, I’m going to enjoy making her scream” he says, “Thank god Russo wasn’t able to finish that small job, right guys?”

“Guy’s a fucking pussy” He hears one of them say.

Bucky remembers Jane told him that Russo had tried to kill her. He didn’t believe it back then, but it made sense now that Rumlow was behind it. He thinks of Jane, and remembers he had given her the dagger and told her to leave. He gave her enough time, right? it was dark and the towers didn’t have guards. If she escaped and was captured she would only be sent back to Aida since she was still a Dove. He closes his eyes and tries taking a few deep breaths, he needed oxygen on his body for his muscles to move – as sore as they were – and he needed his muscles to move if he was going to kill the three men in front of him.

“I bet she’s waiting for you” Rumlow flicks his tongue, “Up there in your room… In your bed, tangled in your sheets” he says, “Opening her legs for you whenever you feel like-”

Rumlow doesn’t finish. Bucky head butts him and pounces over Bullseye – he’s bigger than Doom, so he has to take him out first – he punches the man and kicks Doom when he tries to get him off his friend. Rumlow is in the ground, his nose bleeding when he takes his hand off his face.

“Grab him!” He yells at Doom.

But Bucky is faster than him and dodges his attack, Doom hits the wall behind them face first and Bucky throws Bullseye to him. Rumlow then fists his shirt and Bucky punches him, over and over, until he hears the bones from his face crack.

“Someone’s coming!” Doom yells.

“I’m fucking outta here, man” Bullseye says, disappearing into the night with Doom behind him.

“Fucking cowards! Come back!”

Bucky has Rumlow against the wall and he drags him up and pins him against it, his face inches from Rumlow’s as he lets out a growlike sound from deep inside his throat, spitting blood on his face before reaching for his pocket, taking back his ID card from his hands. Rumlow wrenches himself from Bucky’s grip and without saying word, runs away.

“Fucking coward” Bucky pants heavily.

He leans against the wall and groans taking his hand to his side, that’s at least two broken ribs. His leg protests as he puts weight on it – it’s not broken, it can’t be, the pain would be unbearable and he’s familiar with it - He figures he could limp towards the entrance and maybe he wouldn’t get caught, but the steps are getting closer and closer too fast, the stench of alcohol is making him dizzier than the blood pouring from his nose, mouth and the gash in his forehead.

Zola will find him.

Zola will let him bleed out. 

“Bucky!”

It’s barely above a whisper, but it’s not Zola. When he looks up he sees Jane. And his lips curve upwards.

“You’re alright” He says.

“Fuck’s sake, Bucky” She grimaces, “What-“

“’m fine“

She scoffs and croutches next him him, trying to get a better look, “Look at you, you are not fine” Jane is whispering, she knows someone could see them, “What- why did they-”

“Upstairs”

Jane nods and swallows audibly. She is hugging his waist then, for him to put his weight on her and he’s too beat up to protest so he does, throwing an arm around her shoulders. He isn't sure why is Jane there, but he knows that only by leaving the room she had put herself in danger, she knows it, he knows she knows it. Then why would Jane do it?

They walk inside the tower and somehow make it to the room without been caught, Jane turns the lamp next to the bookshelf on and helps him sit on the couch – where he falls heavy as a stone, groaning as he does – leaving him there to close the door behind them. He follows her with his gaze wanting to ask why didn’t she leave when she had the chance, at least go back to Hysteria, but Jane is hovering around him, scowling as she examines his head wound like he had done with hers before. He moves her hand away and she gives a few steps back realising she’s overwhelming him, he sits on the couch groaning lowly. 

“Who where those men?” She asks, arms around herself like she is trying too hard not to touch him, “The ones who-“ 

“Rumlow” He answers, “Another fighter, and his-“

“Why didn’t you fight back?” Her brow furrows in concern.

Bucky sighs heavily, wondering if it was that clear that he hadn’t. At first. He looks in Jane’s direction. Jane is flustered, cheeks red as she paces around the room, gathering her thoughts for a minute before she speaks again.

“I heard them in the halls” Jane says, barely above a whisper, “They tried to get in and- they said that you were outside” She shakes her head, “I knew they would try to...” She trails off.

“Why are you still here?”

Jane seems taken aback by the question, but instead of answering she simply sighs and shakes her head softly. Her nose wrinkles somehow adorably when the stench of alcohol reaches her once she’s close enough to him.

“We have to take this off” She says pulling from his jacket.

Before he can answer Jane is striping off his jacket, throwing it to the other side of the room as soon as he slides it off his shoulders. Her fingers hesitate for a split of second – barely, but Bucky notices – before she starts unbuttoning his shirt, she’s quick with her task, almost too quick for Bucky to register when she’s done until she opens it and Bucky sees her grimace, black and purple bruises are already forming on his torso. Her bottom lip trembles and she bites it, continuing to undress him but this time with shaky hands, and Bucky stops her because it’s clear she doesn’t want to do it.

“Just-“ Her lips make a thin line and her eyes are filled with determination, “let me help you” 

And he already knows how stubborn she is. 

Bucky nods and looks away as Jane peels the shirt off him. His left shoulder and arm feel like they are on fire, it was only a dislocated and that he could just put it back in, like he had done many times before. But Jane beats him to it, twisting his arm in an almost painful way. His bones crack as they fall back into their place and he lets out a gasped groan of pain. Jane opens her mouth, the beginning of an apology, but he stops her and shakes his head softly as he takes a few shallow breaths counting mentally. There is no pain like before anymore but he knows it will be sore for a few days. 

“The Oxyproc- the blue tonic, in the medical kit”

Jane nods and walks towards the glass cabinet. Bucky takes a look at his torso and touches the bruise on his side carefully, it’s painful, but the Oxyproc – very expensive but extremely effective, truly a miracle of medicine – will help with the pain of the two broken ribs. Jane hands him the small bottle with blue liquid inside and he takes it drinking what’s left in it, is not much since Bucky had used over half of the bottle the past few months. 

A few minutes in silence past before he starts feeling the numbing effects of the tonic. His breathing becomes less elaborated, but he still winces when he tries taking a deep breath in. Make that three broken ribs, he thinks.

“We need to clean you up”

He sets the bottle aside and looks at Jane. With a nod he stands up and Jane gives a few steps back, turning around when his hands reach to unbutton his pants. He turns around too, so they are back to back, sliding the zipper down and finally pulling his pants down alongside the underwear. He feels lightheaded all of sudden, and he remembers he could be having a few drinks at The Sticky Horse, that would have worked better than the Oxyproc. 

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, yeah” He waves his hand, “I’m just…”

“Can I turn now?” 

Bucky glances at Jane over his shoulder and Jane looks at him the same way. Her brow is furrowed with concern, so he nods, and her expression softens. She reaches for a towel and offers it to him, as he kicks his pants away and then wraps the towel around his waist. Jane’s hand are cold when she puts them on each side of his torso, pressing her fingers softly against the skin.

“You have two broken left ribs-”

“Three” 

“And one on the right”

Jane looks at him.

“Been here before” He says as an explanation.

Jane nods and then her hands are gone. She leaves Bucky sitting on the edge of the bed and comes back a few minutes later, a bottle of antiseptic form his medical kit, a bowl filled with water and soap, and two towels. She kneels infront of him and wets one of the towels. Bucky takes a breath in realising what she’s doing.

“You stink” She says as an explanation, “Stay still”

Bucky does. He does for what feels like an eternity, as she runs the warm wet towel across his body, cleaning the dirt and blood and dirt, taking away the smell of alcohol and replacing it with a faint smell of lavender. Bucky didn’t hate it too much anymore.

“Can you tilt your head for me?” Jane asks quietly.

He does. The warm towel wets his neck and collarbone, the back up to his jaw and cheekbones to his forehead. He winces slightly when Jane dries around the head wound and tells him he doesn’t need stitches. He feels lightheaded when the water is replaced with the antiseptic, as she clears the wound on her forehead carefully. Jane stops and he opens his eyes to find her staring with narrowed eyes.

“Your nose” Jane informs, “It’s…”

“Are you going to fix that too or-“ 

_Clack_.

“Yes” She says, and when he looks at her baffled, her lips curve upwards.

She presses a cold cloth against his nose and then takes his hand, instructing him to do it himself. He struggles to stand up, looking for his clothes so he can sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

The water in the bowl is dirty when it used to be clear. Jane stands and empties it in the bathtub, watching the water disappear into the drainage, Bucky’s stinking clothes are long forgotten in one corner of the room and she pours lavender scented oils on them, if Bucky wanted to keep them he would have to wash them in the morning or maybe he would just throw them out (that was a better option) She turns to tell him but Bucky isn’t paying attention to her.

He doesn’t look in pain anymore because of the Oxyproc – in Glassmere it was used for the pain of broken bones, Bucky had drank it like juice – and in the morning he would be better despite the bruises. Those won’t go away for a few more days. The one his face might take hours, yes, but the ones in his torso won’t because of the broken ribs. Her eyes travel across his back then lower to his naked buttlocks, she blushes remembering he isn’t exactly shy about his body, and he shouldn’t be.

Jane still can’t see the scars clearly with the poor lighting but they look like slashes, and it wouldn’t surprise her if Bucky told her that it was exactly how he got them, but she would never ask about them now. Bucky reaches for the cotton pants he uses to sleep, struggling a little to pull them up one leg at a time. And when her eyes fall on his cock she can’t tear them away. Thick, long and pink, hanging heavy between his legs. It is, like the Mother had said, cut, and Jane hasn’t seen one in person before but she can definitely say it’s… Nice.

He makes a knot on the front of the pants once they are hanging low on his hips, and Jane notices his hands are not shaking anymore.

“Why do you stare so much?”

Jane blushes furiously when Bucky asks. He’s laying on the bed already, looking too tired and too beat up for the question not to be rhetorical, they have had enough arguments for today.

“I don’t” Jane says quietly anyways.

Bucky chuckles softly, eyes closed, “It’s alright” he says, “I stare too”

Jane frowns.

“You are nice to stare at” He adds, and her expression softens but the blush on her cheeks doesn’t.

She looks around unsure of what to do now.

“I’m sorry, Jane” She frowns, “About everything I said” Bucky whispers, “But you should have left, Jane… I wanted you to leave”

If Jane had escaped with the gold, she would have been caught and sentenced as a thief. Her destiny would be worse than just being sent back to Hysteria at the end of the month. She had thought about what would the rest of her life be like the past few days, even before Bucky revealed he was leaving and she had seen the chance to maybe try to escape only to be denied of it. From the very first day she had been told that Bucky would be just a temporary Host, he didn’t need to make that clear, she just wasn’t counting on… Liking him as much as she did. 

She had thought about the pain too. Of being actually taken for the first time once Aida figured Bucky hadn’t done it. Jane couldn’t know if the next man would be a bad man like Pierce, or if he would be kind like Bucky, and the not knowing terrified her to her core. For a moment, while Jane walks towards the bed and slides under the covers so she doesn’t have contact with Bucky who hasn’t bothered in using them, she considers asking him to do it.

Bucky’s blue eyes scan her face, like he’s trying to figure out what she is thinking. When he realises he won’t be able to, he reaches for her, the tip of his fingers under her chin as his thumb caresses the beauty mark on her cheek.

“I’m sorry”

Jane swallows tighly.

_About what, Bucky?_  

But she doesn’t ask.

His touch is gone then, and after a few minutes of silence she hears his breathing slow down, and then she closes her eyes finally drifting into a deep sleep.


	9. Ticking Clocks

_Jane opens her eyes as her bedroom door is slammed close. A long figure jumps in the bed with her and covers her mouth, hushing her before releasing her when Jane nods slowly. There’s a loud bang outside and she can tell it's from the plaza, outside she can hear the screams of the crowd like they had all been woken from their sleep like Jane had been._

_“Julia, what’s-”_

_The woman, shakes her head frantically and holds her tighly, Jane trembles against her chest not knowing what is going on, gripping Julia’s nightrobe tighly like a scared child. Her father enters the room then._

_“Jane! Love, there’s no time!” He says in a hard hushed tone._

_“Jane, we need to- They are here” Julia explains as her father walks towards the bedroom window and glances outside._

_He is pale, eyes wide and hands shaking. He has never looked like that before. Julia drags her from the bed and tells her to dress in maid’s clothes. Jane is paralized._

_“Wha- Father, what’s happening”_

_Erik walks towards her in two long strides and Julia is still pacing between the window and the bedroom door, peeking outside. Her father holds her, pulling back before she can register the embrace to look into her eyes, who are starting to blur with tears._

_“I love you, Jane” He whispers, kisses the top of her head and then it’s like he slips through her fingers._

_Jane shakes her head frantically, “Don’t- please, don’t leave”_

_She runs to him but Julia stops her, hugging her waist._

_“I’m sorry” her father says, “I’m so, so sorry”_

_He’s gone then and Julia tells Jane to do as she was told. Jane wants to follow him, she might never see him again, she wants to tell him she loves him too, but Julia stops her and tells her to change her clothes again._

_“Come on, Jane!” She says, “Hurry!”_

_The grey robes she’s handed are similar to Julia’s and Jane understands her father had instructed her to hide Jane. To be protected. Glassmere had fallen. She does as told and when she’s nude, wearing only a locket around her neck with her family crest, Julia slides the dress over her head and rips the necklace off her._

_“No!” Jane yells._

_Julia grips her shoulders, hiding it in her pocket, “There is no time, Jane!”_

_No time. Time had been ticking since they let Pierce inside the limits of their colony. There is no time anymore._  

Jane opens her eyes gasping for air as she sits on the bed, kicking off the covers that are drowning her. Rubbing her eyes until she can see stars under her eyelids she finishes waking up from the nightmare, laying flat on her back again as she looks at the ceiling. It wasn’t a nightmare though, it was a memory. She can remember everything so clearly. Julia dragging her to her room where Darcy was, the rest of the house staff just waiting, and her father’s voice as he begged… Them to let everyone else go.

She stares at the ceiling for a few minutes, unable to go back to sleep while she tries to shake off the unsettling feeling one gets after waking up from a nightmare. 

Bucky stirst next to her and she looks at him. Still asleep.

Jane turns to look at him, considering standing up and maybe finish reading the sixth Harry Potter until he woke up – it would be a while since it was still dark outside – the chill of the early morning against the warmth from the room clouded up the glass window. When she turns to read the clock on the wall, she frowns because it’s too dark outside to be almost six.

Maybe it was going to rain, she thinks.

"Bucky" Jane whispers.

She waits a few beats but he doesn't wake up.

He continues breathing softly, mouth slack. There's a small cut on the bridge of his nose that is now slightly less swollen than the night before, and dark bruise around his left eye and a split on his bottom lip. She’s unable to take her eyes off him, thinking he might stop breathing at some point at first, but then just… Looking at him. It's normal to worry she tells herself, she had kind of saved his life twice now which more than proved that she cared for him. 

"You're still an asshole"

Bucky remains still. His chest rising and falling rhythmically. It’s cold, so she moves closer to him until her head is laying on the same pillow he is and inhales his smell, a mixture of lavender and antiseptic. She didn't know how old Bucky was, but he looked younger while he slept peacefully, without his seemingly signature scowl and brooding expression. Without thinking, she reaches to trace the wrinkle between his eyebrows with the tip of her fingers, pausing when Bucky frowns slightly before she slides her finger from the bridge to the tip of his nose.

Jane realises he's even more handsome up close. His parted lips are dry but still pink and she imagines them kissing hers when she traces his bottoms lip, then his chin and collarbone. His torso is sculpted, firm to the touch, and skin twitches under her hand, his nipples are hard and Jane remembers the room is cold and he didn't bother in using the blankets, right now she wouldn't mind if he slid under the covers with her, and she is unaware of the warmth creeping on her cheeks and growing on the bottom of her stomach until Bucky lets out a soft groan stirring in his sleep slightly.

She ignores it, wincing when she sees the bruises on his side, reaching to touch him there too, and then splaying her hand over his abdomen more firmly, biting her bottom lip as her hand reaches lower and lower, stopping right above the line of his pants riding low on his hipbones, the rest is covered by the blankets she had kicked off herself, and she bites her lips, she can't control herself from wanting to touch and see more. 

And then a hand circles her wrist. Jane gasps softly as she looks into Bucky's eyes, electric blue burying into her brown ones. The wrinkle between his eyebrows deep.

"Don't touch me like that" Bucky says, voice rough.

She blushes and nods, not being able to voice an apology. He lets her go and she retrieves her hand sitting on the bed slowly. 

"What time is it?"

Jane glances at the clock.

"Five forty five"

He hums.

The mattress sinks when Bucky sits on the bed and but she doesn’t look at him, embarrassed as he stands groaning lowly. The floor is colder than her side of the bed had been and she stares at her feet, following the patterns on the ugly rug with her eyes. And she wants to apologize but the words seem to be stuck in her throat.

"I'm going to be out a while" Bucky says.

She nods not lifting her gaze.

"Jane"

Bucky is suddenly infront of her. She looks at him then. He's dressed in grey pants and a deep burgundy long-sleeved shirt that hugs his torso. She swallows realising how much attention she's paying to his body. Too much attention that is. 

"Thank you" He says, "for what you did last night"

Jane nods. Bucky puts his fingers under her chin when she starts looking away stopping her, and remains serious for a few seconds.

"Are we... Are we good?"

He sounds unsure for the first time since Jane's met him. And Jane remembers asking him if they could get along. She still wanted that, for however long they had left together 

"We are" 

Bucky's lip curve upwards slightly, is not a smile but he's no longer tense when he steps away from her. Without saying more, he leaves the room. Maybe she was expecting him to say more or she wanted to say something else, because when the door locks behind him, she feels disappointed.

Jane sighs.

She is going to have to distract herself with Harry Potter after all.

 

* * *

 

Bucky couldn’t remember the last time he had woken up _that_ hard. But for a moment, when he had been between a heavy sleep and wide awake, he had felt Jane's warm, soft hands on him. From a feather like touch on his lips to her palms on his chest and stomach, moving downwards his navel. He though it was a dream, his mind playing tricks on him after he had finally admitted to himself that he cared for her more than he should. When he woke up to find her on bed with him he realised he wasn't dreaming and his body had too, before his brain caught up, reacting to her touches before he could stop himself. 

"Are we done?"

The man infront of him purses his lips as he examines Bucky's forehead. He had no other choice than to go to the medic, Jane had done enough to fix him up – even the medic had said it – but there is only so much a person can learn from books. Also, he needed more of the Oxyproc to ease the pain. 

"I didn't know you had been on the Pit this week" 

He glances at the man.

Mordo was good at his job, he had spent almost all his life fixing up Legionaries and was more than used to see them in the same state Bucky was and worse, but he never seem to get used to it. 

"I wasn't"

"Then what happened" the man crosses his arms.

Bucky sighs heavily as he puts his shirt back on, wincing when he raises his arms despite Mordo telling him not to.

"I was attacked" He finally answers

"Rumlow?" Bucky nods, "fucking hell, Bucky"

"I have it under control" 

The man barks out a laugh, "Under cont-" he shakes his head, "Look at you, you have looked better after a day in the Pit"

Bucky glares. He stands up and walks towards the medical supply gabinet, reaching for one of the bottles containing the blue tonic. Mordo tisks and Bucky glances at him.

"That's-" 

"I know" Bucky grunts, reaching for the card inside his pocket.

Mordo takes it and mutters something under his breath but still lets Bucky take the bottle. As long as he was paid, he couldn't deny Bucky his medicine.

"Are you telling Zola?"

Bucky frowns, "About Rumlow?" Mordo nods, "No"

He returns the card to him, "Then I guess I'm going to enjoy that fight in particular"

Bucky doesn't say anything. He leaves the room and walks towards the showers, knowing that by the time Zola fixed the fight between Crossbones and the Winter Soldier, he would be long gone.

The showers are empty, being too early for any fighter to be anywhere but in the training rooms, he undresses being careful with his injuries and then walks towards one of the stalls turning the hot water on. He would have showered in his room but being naked – and aroused – near Jane was not a good idea. His cock, already half hard, quickly fills at the thought of her. Maybe it hadn't been Jane's intention to... make him feel like that, he knew she was curious about his body, but he hadn't been able to find release for so long and her touching him hand't help to take his mind off it.

He waits for the steam to fill the stall and leans against the wall to finally wrap a hand around his erection, stroking firmly while he tried to get himself off quickly.

He lets his thoughts run as he relaxes more, finding a rhythm and working his hand up and down his shaft. He feels his balls draw up with a stinging sort of pressure and reaches to fondle them, a small, breathy moan falls out of his mouth and he bites his lip not wanting to make too much noise.

Pail skin under his fingers, soft to the touch, he cups her breasts and licks and bites her neck letting her know she is now his. A moan leaves her lips and and the eyes looking at him are honey brown, with pupils blown with lust. She’s wearing a tight dress that clings to her body like a second skin, her nipples visible through the fabric before he slides the dress off her shoulders, kissing every inch of skin newly uncovered, kissing between her breasts and then her soft abdomen, before she opens her legs for him. He kisses her lips, opening her mouth with his tongue and she welcomes him in a wet messy kiss, touching every inch of her naked body under his, she's wet between her tights when he reaches to touch her and it's sweet, as sweet as her moans when he tastes her and he knows then that she's ready for him to...

The orgasm hits without warning, waves of pleasure ripple through his body and he groans loudly not being able to hold it in as he pumps himself a few more times, squeezing until for the last drop of cum leaks out his cock. He is still panting softly when he sees his come mixing with the water before being washed away on the drainage. 

"Fuck"

_Fuck._

He pulls himself together and finishes washing off a few minutes later. He dries with a towel until his skin in pink and feels raw, dresses as fast as he can, leaving the showers and walking towards the training rooms despite feeling physically and mentally exhausted. Maybe he could make a few excuses and return to his room instead.

 

* * *

 

"Have you pleasure him with you mouth yet?"

Jane sits on the middle of the water filled bathtub. She glances at the Mother, who had arrived half an hour earlier with breakfast and clean clothes, telling her to fill her stomach while she drew her a warm bath. Like Jane had predicted, it had started raining outside. She’s is far too exhausted to feel like finding a way around the questionary the woman always went through when she arrived, so she thinks about simply ignoring her. The Mother didn’t ask out of curiosity, Jane knew that, but she didn't like answering those questions to a woman who was a stranger for her.

“Tulip, I asked you something”

"No, Mother" Jane answers after a few seconds.

The Mother hums, walking around the room saying about how tidy it was.

"Why, Tulip?"

Jane plays with the bubbles in the surface and bites the inside of her cheek.

"He... Hasn't asked me to, Mother" 

The woman sighs heavily looking at her with disapproval. Jane shrinks in the bathtub, bringing her knees to her body and hugging her legs.

"He doesn't like when I touch him" Jane says, and it felt like the first honest answer.

"That can't be true" Mother says, "Men love a woman's touch, as _inexperienced_ as it is"

Jane looks away.

"Tonight, tell him you wish to teach him something" the Mother suggests, "If he refuses, touch yourself while in bed with him" 

Jane blushes, "I... I will, Mother"

"Men are fools for pretty things"

The Mother continues pacing around the room and Jane can't help but think that she is looking for something. Maybe, she was a spy, whether it was for Zola, Pierce or Aida it didn't matter. Bucky's paranoia had rubbed off on her.

"Maybe he is different" Jane says quietly.

"Tulip"

For a few seconds Jane forgets that's her name now, while she's too distracted between playing with the foamy lavender scented water and thinking about all the good actions Bucky had done for her. Her fingers are wrinkled when she looks at them, too much time in the warm water, and all she can hear is the rain falling against the window.

"Tulip, I'm talking to you"

She looks at the older woman then.

"Keep in mind he’s just temporary Host" the older woman says, "You will get a _much_ better one afterwards"

Jane nods slowly, "Of course, Mother"

"Up"

Jane stands and the water slides down her body, the cold air hits her skin sending shivers down her spine before the Mother asks her to step outside the tub and she does. The floor is chill and she is wrapped in a thick towel by the Mother, who turns to search for the tonic she made Jane drink every morning.

"No scratches today" She says as she rubs the towel over her skin, "He was gentle last night?"

Jane hums, wondering if the woman actually thinks they have sex every single night, or if people did at all. People need sleep, Mother, even Legionaries and... Company. When the woman cups her breast Jane winces, feeling a dull ache she gives a step back and looks at her with a scowl.

“You will start to bleed soon” The Mother informs.

Jane frowns, “How can you-“

“Well, it’s my job to know about these things” She says, going back to the bed, “If he doesn’t want to touch you then, offer your mouth or hand”

Jane nods and looks away. The Mother tells her that her menstruation came at good time, since she wouldn’t have to worry about it during the ceremony day. Jane’s mind goes blank after that, trying to think of something that isn’t being sold like cattle. A hit on the top of her head makes her wince and she turns to the older woman, eyes wide surprised with her action.

"Why did-" 

"I asked a question" Jane blinks several times, "Have you been reading this?"

Jane glances between her copy of Harry Potter and the Mother's crunched up face. She reminds Jane of Dolores Umbridge, from her ironically delicate and pastel-coloured clothing, to the toad-like features. In fact, Umbridge had nothing on Mother... Whatever her actual name was.

"Tulip" she hooks one finger under Jane's chin, making her to look in her direction.

Jane lifts her gaze, "I have, Mother"

The older woman shakes her head letting Jane go, "You can't be distracting yourself with these non-sense"

The Mother throws the book aside and turns to search for her dress, rambling about how books were a waste of time, useless for a lucky woman like Jane. As if Jane is so interested in hearing the thoughts of a small minded woman. Jane chuckles sadly, wondering if there was some kind of irony in studying all her life to be her father’s successor, only to end up being nothing more but a pretty thing on some man’s arm. If her father could see her now. If _Julia_ could see her now. She can’t help but curse her luck, curse Pierce and the woman infront of her. Zola and Madame Aida too, and herself for being so fucking weak. Even Bucky, for not caring that she was never suppose to be what she is now.

“And no crying, girl” The Mother says, and Jane hadn’t even realised she was, “No one looks pretty when they cry” 

“I’m sorry” She grits out, “Mother”

The Mother looks taken aback by her tone but she ignores it. 

Her hair is brushed minutes later, and her dress is similar to all the others, only pail green this time. She follows the older woman with her eyes as she packs her things getting ready to leave. Finally.

"I’ll come back in the morning with more clothes” She announces, “But after that I won’t be back until next week" She says.

Jane frowns, blinking in confusion. The Mother sighs heavily. 

"To come and get you, Tulip" She explains.

"Oh"

The month has come and gone and Jane hadn't even realised. She nods softly and follows the Mother to the door, closing it after saying goodbye and letting the breath she didn't know she had been holding out once her steps are far away. Her back is against the door and she slides to the floor as she realises that in a little more than a week she'll be taken somewhere else, given to someone else and she would have to forget all about Bucky.

Jane crawls towards the book that remained in the corner of the room and picks it up, tracing the gold letters on the spine. She might as well finish reading it now since she didn't have too long. The mother had left her a cart with fruits that she hadn't eaten on breakfast, and she drags it next to the couch before sitting and reaching for an apple. She bites into it and opens the book in her lap, starting to read the final chapter.


	10. When It Rains, It Pours

The rain had kept almost everyone trapped in their rooms, including Zola, so after a few minutes of wandering around in the dining rooms – and waiting for the rain to subside – Bucky decides to go back to his room. He drank half a bottle of tonic and was feeling better, his movements no longer restricted by the pain as he walked at a fast pace not being bothered by the curious glances following him. He was relieved he didn’t see Rumlow or the other two as he reached his door, opening it without remembering to knock.

Jane jumps on her seat, straightening on the long couch she uses to read, and looks at him with eyes wide looking like she was caught doing something she shouldn’t. She has a red apple in her hand and swallows audibly the piece she had been chewing before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Hello" She says.

Bucky closes the door behind him, "hey"

He toes his shoes off leaving them next to the door and runs a hand through his face and hair. There’s a food cart in the middle of his small living room, a few sandwiches and fruit are left, and he looks at Jane who has gone back to her book.

"Who brought food?"

Bucky walks towards the cart infront of her and picks up an apple. Jane stares.

"Mother did" 

He twists his mouth. 

"You don't like her" Jane says.

"Do you?" He retorts.

Jane considers it for a second.

"Not really" 

Bucky nods, sitting on the other side of the couch, "You haven't finish that?" 

Jane looks at the book on her lap, "Not yet"

He licks his lips and takes another bite of the apple. Jane seems to be stuck reading the same page for a few minutes, glancing at Bucky with the corner of her eye from time to time. Outside the window the sky seemed to be falling, and he looks outside when he heas a loud thunder. He wouldn’t be able to visit Coulson today either with that rain, and maybe he shouldn’t in the state he’s in.

“Bucky, why do you have a fire arm?”

Bucky’s heart almost stops and he looks at Jane. Her eyes are still buried in the book but now he knows she isn’t reading at all. He straightens in the couch.

“What?” He asks.

Jane sighs, rolling her eyes she closes the book and looks at him, “A fire arm, gun, pistol, whatever it’s called” she says, “It’s in your cabinet” she adds matter factly. 

He scowls, “How do you-“

“I was-“ She licks her lips, “I wasn’t feeling… well after Mother’s visit” Bucky is not sure what she means with that but he lets her continue, “So I wanted to drink that… Bourdon”

Bucky lets a deep breath out his nose.

She glances at him and then back at her lap, “Alcohol works for that I’ve heard”

He can’t help but chuckle, and Jane narrows her eyes at him. The gun was another present from Erskine.

After the war ended and the peace treaty was signed, fire arms were forbidden and stopped being manufactured, with the passing of the years they became really hard to find and highly valuable. The one in his cabinet was his ticket out of Arcadia. Coulson had told him about the man outside of the walls that would give Bucky transportation so he could go anywhere once he escaped in exchange for something that valuable. But now Jane knew about it, and he wasn’t sure if that meant she was going to tell someone about it.

“I’m not telling if that’s what you are thinking” She chuckles softly.

Jane might actually be able to read minds. 

“I was just… Curious” she adds, of course she was.

Bucky stands, walking towards the glass cabinet. The gun is still there, hidden inside an old box of chess pieces, the Bourdon is also there and it’s only two fingers full. He eyes the other half empty bottle of whisky, a cheaper one Coulson had given him months ago, takes it with him along with two glasses and walks towards Jane to sit on the couch next to her.

He offers her one of the glasses and she glances between it and him a few times, disbelief on his face. 

“Whisky”

She hesitates, and accommodates on the couch before she does take the glass and her fingers brushing Bucky’s as she whispers a thank you. Bucky opens the bottle and pours the same quantity of it on both glasses, leaving it afterwards on the small wooden table infront of them. 

“Cheers” Bucky says, and is about to cling their glasses when Jane empties hers.

Her whole face contorts in a funny way, as she swallows a few more times and then shivers. Bucky wants to laugh, because she hates it, he isn’t sure if it’s the flavour or the smell or maybe both, but he knows she hates it. He did too, at some point, but it’s the warm bodily sensation that spreads from his stomach to his toes that he enjoys, and maybe Jane would too. She would be gone in a week, seven days, the least he could do for her was let her do what she wanted while she was still there. He takes a sip from his glass, looking at Jane from behind the rim. 

“It’s not that bad” She finally says.

Bucky chuckles when she does too, “You want mine too?”

Surprisingly, she seems to consider it a second before shaking her head, “I’m good for now" 

For now he’s good too.

He nods, “The gun is… To sell” he answers finally. 

“To get out of here?”

“How could you possibly-“ he stops himself, “You are inside my head” 

She chuckles again, “Maybe you are not as… Indescifrable as you think”

“What’s that suppose to mean?” he asks raising an eyebrow to her. 

Jane’s cheeks turn pink, her eyes lock into his and she shrugs, “You hide under that brooding expression and only speak a few words, never more than you want people to know” she answers, “But… that’s just out there- in here you leave that facade alongside your shoes next to the door, because it’s the only place where you are alone, and you think that’s better”

He licks his lips, “It is”

“No, Bucky, it’s not” Jane shakes her head, “it’s just all you’ve known that hasn’t… Hurt” 

Bucky wants to look away, he really does, but Jane’s eyes are on him and her warmth against his side a constant that he could let himself get used to. He shakes his head trying to send that thought away, and takes a sip from his whisky. It’s minty, and it burns his throat on it’s way down to his stomach. 

Jane was right. Being alone was the only thing that Bucky had learn to appreaciate from his life in the Arcadia. When he was alone he didn’t have to fight or look over his shoulder, he didn’t have to worry about men jumping from the shadows to attack him and didn’t have to think of anything or anyone else but himself. Loneliness was a safe place. But it was… Lonely, and he hadn’t care about that part before. He wouldn’t have to once he was gone. He thinks about agreeing to take Jane with him, not just because he liked her or cared for her, but because he knew how her life was going to be, he had lived it already, and his conscience wouldn’t let him live with the guilt afterwards.

What if that’s what she wants, though, what if the only reason she looks at him and touches him and talks to him is because she knows he can… Save her. 

“Why are you still here?” Bucky asks. 

He had asked the night before, and Jane hadn’t answered with nothing else but a confused look on her face. This time though, she looks at him and answers with not hesitation.

“I only know life after this won’t be what I want” Jane takes a deep breath, “So right now I want… To finish one last book because I want to, drink one last drink because I want to, and I know that I will only get that here with you” Bucky frowns, “I know you can’t prevent anything happen to me, so you will give me that, because you are good man” she lets out a chuckle, “despite being sometimes rude and kind of an asshole” 

Jane’s eyes are glassy, but is not the little alcohol in her system, she’s been holding her tears and her voice had started to break before the last sentence. She talks about want and knowing, and in the middle of it all there was Bucky. And Bucky being something he had never being able to see himself as.

“And I don’t want to cry because no one looks pretty when they cry” She says, like it’s something someone had put on her lips, and then a few seconds later, “Can I have more whisky, please?” 

Bucky nods with a frown on his face, but still reaches for the bottle and pours her more, staring at her for a few seconds while she took the first sip. There is no sound in the room other than the rain pouring over the ceiling above, drops of water hitting the glass window a few meters from them and the occasional thunder. Bucky couldn’t remember the last time it had rained like that. Jane sniffs and wipes her cheeks with the back of her hand, she does look pretty when she cries, Bucky thinks, and then that she looked even better when she smiled. And he couldn’t remember if he had seen her do that often while they had been together.

“I don’t know how it ends for Harry Potter” Jane says. 

“What?”

Jane looks at him, “Your books… You only have six, but the last one ended- Well, it didn’t”

Bucky frowns, “You read all six of them?”

She shrugs, “You sleep a lot”

“I do” He answers not knowing what else to say.

Jane glances down, “How are your ribs?” 

It’s a twist in the conversation, the attention being on him instead of her now. And Bucky doesn’t know why does he feels a little disappointed but he understands. He takes a long sip from his glass. 

“I went to the medic” He says.

“Good” Jane nods, “What about the ones who… Don’t you have to report them?”

Bucky snorts softly, “Even if I did, Zola would pin it on me and not Rumlow”

“Why?” Jane asks, “If Rumlow-“

“Zola likes playing favorites” Bucky explains, “And it’s a game I will always lose”

A frown crosses Jane’s features, “Is that why you want to leave?” 

He considers it for a few seconds and then shakes his head, Zola wasn’t the sole reason why he hated Arcadia. It was the fights, not being able to feel at peace, being constantly alert, the fact that he was owned by Pierce and knowing he hadn’t even being part of the deal when it was made. The sound of Jane leaving her glass on the wooden table pulls him out of his thoughts.

“It’s everything” Bucky says, “I’ve been here for too long, if I don’t leave I will end up mad”

Jane nods looking back at her lap, she’s playing with the fabric of her dress, “How old are you?” 

Bucky frowns, and then realises he hadn’t told her before, “Twenty five”

Jane looks at him for a few seconds, “You look… Older” 

“Do I?”

She nods, “But not old, just… Older” she bites her bottom lip, “What happened to your back?” He frowns, “On your back, you have scars… Are those from the fights?” 

“No” He shakes his head, finishes the drink and leaves the glass next to Jane’s, “Not all of them, at least” he leans back on the couch, “They punish thieves in the Barracks, and I did a lot of that when I was there"

“How old were you?” Jane asks, leaning back too, “When you were taken from Catalean” 

“Fourteen”

At fourteen he was kidnapped. He didn’t know why, but he remembered waking up in the Barracks afterwards, being assigned a number instead of a name and sent to work that same day. All he knew was that he was alone there. 

“Why did you steal?” 

Bucky shrugs, “Sometimes because I was hungry and sometimes because I was pissed off” he then chuckles softly and Jane looks at him with a frown, “Or I was hungry and that pissed me off”

He chuckles again and Jane joins him this time.

“One day I jumped the gated to the Slums, I walked around for a few hours until I heard someone said Pierce was watching the Underground fights so I went there to… give him a piece of mind” He continues, remembering being that stupid and reckless, “There was a lot of people and I couldn’t see, so I pushed pass the crowd and this man grabbed my arm tightly, I knew that I didn’t have an ID, much less permission to be there and I would be punished again, so turned to him and punched him with everything I had”

“Was it Zola?”

Bucky shakes his head, “Erskine” he says, “He was Zola’s… Business partner” 

“And he recruited you” Jane says, looking at him intently, Bucky nods.

“He introduced me to Stick” Bucky continues, “He trained Legionaries”

Stick believed in dicipline but never resorted to physical violence when someone disobeyed. He had thought Bucky to control the anger that he had bottled in all the time he had been in the Barracks, when Bucky turned sixteen he had told Erskine that he was ready to become a Legionary. Erskine was the one who fixed his first fight, making sure Pierce saw Bucky so he would be taken to Zola’s Tower. Life wasn’t perfect in the Pit, but it was better than in the Barracks. 

“Erskine was a lot kinder than my last handler, but I doubted him at first” Bucky says, “And Stick… He was strict, but somehow never cruel” 

Jane accommodates on the couch, turning her body towards him and tucking her legs under herself. Bucky scowls when she takes the whisky bottle he had left on the table and unscrews the cap, taking it to her lips and drinking directly from it, she looks like she regrets it immediately but doesn’t say anything. He wasn’t one to judge, he knew what it was like to need a drink to take his mind off things. 

He wonders how Jane was before she had been taken from her home. _Kidnapped, Bucky, just like you were_. He wonders if she had been outgoing, if she had many friends or if she went to a lot of parties. For the little she had told him, he knew she must have had a privilege life, being the daughter of a High Commander and all, but maybe that didn’t mean that she had been happy.

“Julia, my carer, used to tell me that the only people who enjoyed drinking were soldiers and married men”

Bucky snorts softly.

“My father didn’t drink, but he had been both” She smiles at the memory, “He had been happy with my mother until she died, though with war not so much”

Despite being no more wars, colonies trained men similar to the army. Bucky never understood why, but lately he wondered if everyone just expected a war to break out again somewhere, and if it did, who would win. 

“How did she die?”

Jane gaze falls, “Childbirth” Bucky makes a face, “She got pregnant with me too late according to Julia”

“I’m sorry” Bucky says quietly after a few seconds.

Jane looks at him and smiles softly, “She also says I’m her spitting image” she adds, “Which is a good thing since my father was a… Rough looking man”

She puts a strand of her hair behind her after she notices Bucky is staring. And Bucky wants to play with the brown curls that fall on her neck, or give them a toss to send them cascading down her back instead of tickling her shoulders.

“You are a beautiful woman, Jane” he says quietly, emptying the whisky glass and then looking back at Jane, who is redder on the cheeks now.

“Thank you” Jane finally says, bitting her bottom lip before adding, “You are handsome too” she says, “I… That’s why I stare so much” He frowns slightly, “Back home I… I couldn’t- I didn’t allow myself to pay attention to other men since I was promised to someone” She stammers, “but now it’s… It doesn’t matter”

“An arranged marriage?” Bucky says baffled.

Jane nods frowning slightly, “Yes”

She sounds offended by Bucky’s reaction. And when she takes the bottle of whisky from him he lets her, watching as she takes another small sip again. She pushes the bottle against his chest, not looking at him, she looks embarrassed about her confession and Bucky licks his lips before taking the bottle to them and drinking a long sip leaving it almost empty.

Arranged marriages were common among the richer folk. Pierce himself had been married eight times, each with the daughter of a lord commander, it was purely business since they believed that becoming family straightened their bonds. He just couldn’t picture Jane – being stubborn and mouthy as she was – settling for a business proposal instead of… Actual love. And Bucky wasn’t even one to believe in those things.

Bucky makes a face as he swallows, “It’s… Strange” 

“Yeah” Jane chuckles, despite the blush on her cheeks deepening, and Bucky wonders if it’s embarrassment or because of the whisky, “Now that I think about it, I would end up in a similar situation than the one I’m now” 

“How so?” Bucky asks.

Jane purses her lips, “My virginity was part of a business transaction” she answers, “And I was being given to a man I barely knew”

Bucky looks at his hands. It felt somehow ironic, Jane’s life. She then sighs and looks up at the ceiling. Silence falls upon them again, and Bucky is about to call it a night when Jane speaks a minute later.

“Why didn’t you want to do it?”

He frowns, “Do what?”

She glances at him, “You know”

Jane looks at him expectantly when he glances at her with the corner of his eye. And after a few seconds in silence he understands what she’s referring to.

Oh.

Bucky licks his lips, scratching his jaw, “I told you why” 

Bucky had been clear when her that he wouldn’t force someone to have sex with him just because some asshole had paid for her to be taken to his room. But if Jane had changed her mind about him, if she saw him more as a… Friend than the man who owned her for a few days, if she wanted him like he wanted her. He shakes his head, rubbing his eyes with his knuckles. For fuck’s sake he had jerked off thinking about her that morning.

“If I asked you to” Jane’s voice is quiet, “Would you do it?”

He turns to her so fast that his neck creaks, his heart leaping to his throat when he realises what she’s saying. But her warm breath on his lips smells like minty alcohol when she turns to him, her eyes are glassy and her cheeks are too pink, the bottle he left on the table infront of them is almost empty. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.

“You are drunk” He says, voice shaking slightly.

“No, I’m not”

Jane scowls at him as he turns to her. 

After a few seconds of staring at each other, as if to see who looks away first, she shakes her head and covers her face sighing heavily – whether it is in frustration or embarrassment, he doesn’t know – before standing, and Bucky follows her with his eyes as she makes her way to the bed. He sighs heavily, cupping his head in his hand and massaging at his temples. If Jane had been completely sober, if she had been sure of what she had said to him then he would have told her that yes, he would now because he wanted her, and maybe the night would have end up differently. 

Instead, it ends up with Jane asleep on the bed and him finishing what’s left on the bottle, before sneaks to the Slums to look for more.


	11. House of Cards

His eyes open at the sound of loud thunder and a persistent knock on the door. The room is dark and he reaches for the spot next to him reaching to wake Jane up, like it’s second nature for him already despite the night before being the first time they shared his bed. Jane had been asleep when he arrived from the Slums and he was too tired to try and sleep on the couch. Bucky turns when he finds it empty, but before he can call for her, Jane’s hand is on his shoulder. 

“Hey, Bucky, hey”

Jane’s brow is furrowed in concern, and he puts his hand over Jane’s, like trying to figure out if she was real. The disconcerting feeling of waking up from another nightmare throwing him off while his brain finished catching up with reality. Jane is sliding under the covers with him and he frowns, before there’s another knock on the door and he remembers the Mother is suppose to bring her food and clothes every morning.

“Are you alright?” Jane asked in a hushed tone, “Was it another nightmare?” 

He swallows, “’m fine”

Jane nods but her eyebrows are still knitted in what he thinks is concern. Bucky kicks the covers off him before he stands up, making his way to the door with Jane's eyes still on him. The Mother’s lips are pressed tightly when he finally opens, but when she realises it’s Bucky it morphs into a wide smile, unlike the times before he doesn’t bother with pleasantries gesturing her to enter the room. She’s not dragging a cart of food with her like before, instead, she only has one tray in her hands and a heavy looking bag on her shoulder. Bucky considers offering his help, but he really, _really_ doesn’t like her.

Jane accommodates on the bed, “Good morning, Mother”

She throws a quick glance Bucky before looking at the older woman. He closes the door behind him and walks towards the couch, noticing the bottle that had been there the last night was back inside the cabinet despite being already empty, there's a book opened on the couch and he realises she had woken up before him to read.

“Stand up, Tulip” She tells Jane.

Jane obeys and the Mother turns gripping her jaw to examine her face. Bucky doesn’t like the way she touches Jane or the way she talks to her, like Jane was stupid or a child, and Jane seems to hate it too. Still, biting the inside of her cheek, Jane twists and turns and moves however and wherever she is told, keeping her gaze on every corner of the room but at Bucky as she does.

“I imagine you had fun last night, Sir?”

Bucky turns to the older woman and frowns. The Mother offers him a cheshire-wide smile, looking pleased for some reason, and then he remembers Jane and him are suppose to be… Having fun. _Every_ night, apparently. The sardonic smile the woman offers Jane annoys him, actually it pisses him off, and he’s about to say something when Jane shakes her head softly, so he clears his throat and goes with it instead.

“Yes, Mother” He says, “All night, every single night” there’s sarcasm in his tone and Jane doesn’t miss it. 

Jane supresses a smile and Bucky’s lips curve upwards when the Mother looks taken aback by his tone, she recovers quickly and orders Jane to undress. He turns, pretending to look for something in the bookshelf to give Jane the little privacy she can get from either of them. He picks a book and flips through the pages of it as he tries to distract himself, he wants to see Jane’s naked body, but he can’t bring himself to stare so shamelessly with a third person in the room. And without her permission.

His mind travels to the conversation he had with Coulson the night before.

Bucky left the tower when the rain had subsided, but it hadn’t stopped yet. He didn’t have permission to leave, but sneaking to the Slums was easy when Zola was locked up in his room and the fighters that saw him weren’t going to say anything. The Slums’ streets are empty as people seek shelter from the rain inside the many stablishments, The Sticky Horse being one of the most packed ones.

Bucky enters the place and makes his way through the crowd wincing slightly when someone accidentally elbows his ribs. He doesn’t see Coulson, but May is there and he could talk to any of them. May smiles at him once he’s at the bar, reaching for his favorite – second favorite – whisky and a glass, putting it infront of him to fill half of it with the amber liquid. 

“Here again, Bucky I’m starting to think you like the place” She chuckles, but when she takes a good look at him she grimaces, “What the fuck happened to you?”

Bucky shrugs, “Occupational hazards”

He reaches for the glass but May stops him, “Buck”

“Let it go, May” Sliding his fingers towards the glass again. 

“ _James_ ” Jaw clenched he looks at her, “I know you haven’t been on a pit since your hundred” May’s tone is hard, “So, I’m asking… What. Happened.”

And he knows better than to try to hide something from her. She would twist his arm – figuratively and literally speaking – until she got the answer she wanted, and it better be the truth.

“It was Rumlow” 

May sighs heavily pursing her lips and finally slides the glass towards him. Bucky doesn’t feel like drinking anymore when he notices she’s looking at him expectably, she’s waiting for him to tell more, so he does. Licking his lips when the liquor spreads a warmth through his chest he sighs.

“Him and two other Legionaries attacked me last night”

“Holy fuck, Bucky, why?”

He shrugs, “He hates me” May looks unimpressed, “And he knows I won’t tell Zola” 

“Did he find out?” May asks and Bucky shakes his head, “You are lucky Rumlow didn’t kill you, have you seen yourself?” She scoffs, “And getting two other men to join him, what a fucking-“ 

“He said he’s going to kill me next time I’m on the Pit with him” Bucky chuckles, taking another sip, “Or his friends will, I don’t know”

May presses her lips. 

“Where’s Coulson?” Bucky asks wanting to change the subject.

“With Daisy” May says quickly, “Did you go to the medic?”

So, she wasn’t letting it go. Bucky sighs. 

“Yeah, this morning” 

May rolls her eyes, “Couldn’t you just go right away?” she asks rhetorically, “You could have an internal-“ 

“Jane found me” Bucky looks at her and then back at his drink, “She… She knows things” May snorts, he scowls, “About injuries, she knows how to treat them” he clarifies.

“With those small hands I bet she can” May mentions, wiping the table after another man spills his drink before leaving, “They are firm, like a surgeon’s”

Bucky stares at her, “She’s from Glassmere” 

May hums, stacking up some glasses. Bucky leans in and she glances around to make sure no one is paying attention to them before leaning towards Bucky too.

“Her father was Erik Selvig” He whispers, “She says that Arcadia attacked Glassmere” 

He leans back hoping to find May looking back at him with wide eyes, shocked about the information he just gave him. But May doesn’t look shocked, instead her eyebrow is furrowed and there’s a strange look in her eyes. 

“What?” Bucky asks.

“Maybe her father was overthrown by his people and she ended up here” May shrugs, “Sounds like a more plausible-”

Bucky clamps his jaw together, “She was taken against her will”

“Or- Or maybe she’s lying”

“May” Bucky grits, grabbing her arm, he has the feeling there’s something she isn’t telling him.

“Hey, May”

Bucky turns to find Mack, a man he’s seen before many times but never talked with, looking concerned. The man’s eyes shift from him to May.

“Everything alright, here?”

“Yes, Mack” May smiles, and Bucky lets her go, “We are fine”

Mack nods tightly and throws Bucky a warning glance before leaving. Bucky watches him disappear in the crowd before turning back to May. 

“I’m sorry” He says, “But… I don’t think Jane was lying” 

The woman stays quiet a few seconds, crossing her arms with a pensieve look in her face. Bucky looks down at his glass, the tip of his fingers playing with the rim before he hears May whispering to him.

“I know she wasn’t” Bucky lifts his gaze to find her inches from him, she glances around, “One of Phil’s informants came a couple of weeks, saying that Arcadia has been cutting ties with several of their business men in other colonies” she flicks her tongue, “Glassmere’s High Commander being one of them” 

Bucky nods. He considers telling May more, or asking about the information given by their informant.

“You like her, don’t you?” 

He scowls at May, who pours more whisky on his glass.

“Jane”

Bucky drink it all at once, “I feel bad for her is all”

“You feel bad for her” She scoffs, “You fuck her yet?”

He chokes on his drink and coughs violently, glaring at May when she laughs. She offers a cloth at him and he shakes his head, waving a dismissive hand to wipe his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt instead. May stares, looking amused by his reaction. 

“I’ll take that as a no” May raises an eyebrow, “But you want to, you can’t lie to me”

Bucky grunts, he knows he can’t. May could read him like a book, just like Jane had the night before and he wonders if that’s a thing Aida teaches their woman. it isn’t, his mind supplies, it’s a smart woman thing. Taking another sip despite his throat feeling stuck he shrugs dismissively. 

“She’s a… beautiful woman” He says as an answer.

May purses her lips, “You’ve known her for like a week, James”

Two weeks, to be exact. Plus three days.

And in five days she would be gone.

“Well, soon you’ll be in the Freelands… in Maraud city” May smiles to herself, “Where the grass in green and the girls are pretty” 

It was a phrase from a song May liked. In Zola’s Tower it was forbidden to listen to loud music inside the rooms or in the gymnasium, and portable music players were really expensive, but the clubs in the Slums played loud music day and night. It was pretty much the only way to listen to music if you couldn’t afford a portable music player or a radio.

“I want her to come with me” Bucky says.

When he looks at May she is staring blankly at him, “Why?” 

Bucky shakes his head, “Not because I like her” May puts her hands on her hips and tilts her head truly confused, “She has family in The Cinders”

May opens her mouth letting a small “ah”. Jane was taken from her home just like him, except they both know Darcy is in The Cinders, her only family, Bucky isn’t even sure he ever had a family in Catalean or if he still did – Steve comes to his mind but he only has a name – and Jane had saved his life two times now, asking for nothing more in return than the final Harry Potter book and a glass of whisky. He couldn’t help but feel like he owed Jane at least trying to truly help her. 

“That… relic you have” May says, her lips curving slightly, “It’s enough for a trip for two” His lips curve upwards, “Come back in four days” 

 

* * *

 

Bucky looked like he was lost in thought – or maybe having a brain bleed – as he stared at the bookshelf doing a terrible job in pretending to be distracted by it. The Mother snaps her fingers infront of Jane’s face and asks if she’s paying attention, Jane nods but she isn’t. She glances at Bucky while the older woman undresses her, looking her body for injuries as more skin is revealed. 

Jane is left naked as soon as the dress falls to the floor. She didn’t understand why wasn’t she aloud to wear underwear, well she did understand why, she just missed it for some reason. Bucky opens the book in his hands, the one she had finished just that morning had been forgotten in the couch. She had woken up to the sound of thunder as the rain kept falling outside and Bucky was there snoring, he had arrived at some point in the night but she hadn’t noticed, being too tired to be woken or maybe he had been quiet not to do it. Like the morning before, she had stared at him, but didn’t touch him, enjoying the heat he emanated for a few minutes before realising she couldn’t keep sleeping anymore. Mostly, thinking about the night before. 

She groans mentally when she remembers asking Bucky to have sex with her, he had rejected her, and she wished she had been actually drunk not to remember the embarrassment she had felt, and it was all her stupid mouth’s fault.

“He’s handsome even with all those bruises on his face” The Mother mentions.

She bites her bottom lip when she nods, feeling a tingle between her legs when she looks back at Bucky. He’s wearing nothing but his white cotton sleeping pants, she knows there’s nothing under them for the way she can see the outline of Bucky’s cock, swinging between his legs when he walks from one side of the bookshelf to the other, eyeing the book pages but no reading anything. 

“Did he touch you last night?” The Mother, thankfully, whispers.

Jane nods, “Yes, Mother, he did” she says, “Thank you for your advice” 

The Mother offers her a smile, “You are a fast learner” she says brushing Jane’s hair behind her shoulder, “Your next Host will be lucky” 

Jane swallows, forcing a smile and nodding. The Mother makes her drink the tonic and when she hands her the empty bottle she realises there’s a bag on the bed.

“What is that for?” 

The older woman glances at the bag and then back at Jane, “That’s your clothes for the remaining days here” she explains, brushing Jane’s hair, “I told you I wasn’t coming back until then”

“You did, Mother, I forgot”

The woman nods. She then glances back at Bucky and Jane frowns, she understood that she found Bucky handsome but did she have to stare to much. Maybe she was looking at the bruises in his torso, Jane glances at him too and they actually look better than the day before, less painful.

“Why don’t you bathe him?” 

Jane looks at the Mother with a scowl, “Excuse me?” 

The Mother purses her lips.

“I- I’m sorry, I-” Jane stammers.

She shakes her head waving a dismissive hand at Jane, and turns to reach for something inside the bag over the bed. Jane swallows, if it’s that small prod they used at Hysteria – and cattle – to punish them, she would have to endure the stinging pain that ran through her body when it touched the skin. She didn’t want to feel that again, or Bucky to see it. But the Mother turns with a dress in her hands and Jane lets out the breath she had been holding.

“He looks like he can barely stand, dear” The Mother continues, “He needs a relaxing bath”

She offers Jane the dress and Jane takes it. It’s a very thin fabric and when she spread it, she realises it’s just like the sheer gown she had been wearing the night she was brought there. 

“I’ll draw the bath” The Mother says, “Get dressed”

And she’s gone. Jane hesitates as she glances at the Mother, who is filling the tub already, opening a small bottle she had also picked from the bag. Jane slides the dress on and struggles to tie the string on each side with shaky fingers, guessing she’s suppose to bathe with it. To bathe Bucky with it on. She groans softly rubbing her eyes so hard she could see starts, before the Mother turns and gestures her towards Bucky.

“Fuck” Jane mutters under her breath.


	12. Caving in

“Go ahead, dear”

Jane swallows before walking towards Bucky – who is still looking at the bookshelf with the book in his hands – the Mother’s hand on her back as she pushes Jane towards the man. She crosses her arms at the wrists twisting her fingers nervously, the Mother practically breathing down her neck as she walks towards Bucky. 

“Buc-“ She takes a deep breath, “Sir, I- I was wondering… If- if you could bathe” 

She hears the older woman sigh heavily behind her. Jane glances at her over her shoulder with a questioning look.

“Take a bath” The Mother says in a whisper, “If he would like to take a bath”

Jane nods. Turning and glancing to the ceiling taking a deep breath in.

“I was wondering” Jane says quietly, “if you would like to take a bath, sir”

Apparently she hadn’t been loud enough because Bucky doesn’t look at her. The Mother notices he’s distracted – or maybe he’s just pretending to be – and walks pass Jane, taking the book from Bucky’s hand. He turns to her with a scowl on his face, almost grunting when he sees the older woman inches from him, tapping her feet against the carpet.

“What” Bucky says sharply.

The Mother jumps slightly at his tone, but then offers him one of her awfully polite fake smiles. Jane chuckles to herself and Bucky looks at her, and then at her dress, taking his eyes off her when the Mother clears her throat and crosses her arms at the wrists to putting the book away from Bucky’s reach.

“Tulip was asking you something, Sir” the older woman says. 

Both glance at Jane and she swallows. She shakes her head softly, like she had done when Bucky was going to tell something to the mother – so he understands that he has to go with it again. At least they would be wearing clothes, well, she would be. 

“I was- I…” The question gets stuck in her throat.

“Speak louder, Tulip, and clear”

Bucky glares at the woman. Jane clears her throat and he looks back at her.

“I was wondering if you would like to take a bath, sir” The question coming out in an overflow of words, but clear enough for Bucky to understand.

The Mother smiles at her, like it’s a treat for an obedient child. Bucky’s eyes go wide and the frown deepens, the small wrinkle between his eyes more prominent as his mouth goes slack. He seems to be between confused, surprised and a little horrified. Jane glances at the Mother, who’s brow is slightly furrowed when Bucky doesn’t answer right away. 

“I drew the bath for you” Jane continues, taking a few steps towards the tub, “Like you prefer?” she adds, voice shaky.

Bucky notices it and when the Mother looks at him, he nods jerkily. She sees the woman offer Bucky a small bow before she turns to Jane, gripping her wrist as she guides her towards the bathtub. She leaves Jane there and moves towards the bed, Jane lets out a relief breath when she picks up the black bag and leaves it on the floor, the tray of food for Jane is left next to it, as she prepares to finally leave. Bucky walks towards Jane, looking at the older woman with the corner of his eye.

“Don’t mind me, Legionary” The Mother says, “I’ll just arrange the bed while Tulip attends you” 

 _Can’t she just leave_ , Jane thinks and Bucky seems to ask himself the same question.

Bucky rolls his eyes, “That won’t be nece-“

“I insist” The older woman smiles, “Please, just- Tulip, dear?”

Jane lifts her gaze and nods, not really knowing what to do. Bucky is next to her in two strides and he glances at the mother to make sure she’s distracted.

 “What do I do?” He asks in a whisper. 

“I…” She sighs, “Just until she leaves”

She really doesn’t see any other alternative than… She looks at Bucky and then at the bathtub. 

“Sorry” Jane whispers before he leaves her space.

They could just go with it until the woman was out of the room, they didn’t need to make a big deal out of it. Bucky grunts and walks towards the tub, turning the water off before it overflows. She didn’t need to make a big deal out of… Bathing him. Jane closes her fists nervously, her nails digging into the palm of her hand, she had never bathed a man before, and they didn’t bother to teach them that at Hysteria.

But Bucky is already hooking his fingers on the elastic of his pants and pulling them down. She looks away as he walks pass her, glancing at the Mother instead, who is folding one of the blankets, before looking at back at him as he entered the bathtub. 

He lets out a hiss and his face contorted into a grimace – maybe he’s in pain or the water it’s too hot, Jane thinks – as he sinks into the water and Jane bites her bottom lip walking towards him as he gather water into his hands and wets his face, then again to wet his hair a few times. The bottle the Mother had spilled inside had left he water foamy and the room smelling like peppermint, Bucky seems to like it a lot more than the lavender since he doesn’t wrinkle his nose like he had done when he smelled it on her skin.

“Here, dear” She looks at the Mother and then at the sponge she’s offering, “A sponge” she adds.

Jane takes it. 

 _Of course I know it’s a sponge_ , she thinks glaring at it. 

She sits on the marble edge of the bathtub and sinks the sponge in the water making Bucky tense slighlty. Up close, she can see the scars on his back more clearly and she squeezes the excess of water from the sponge before pressing it against his skin. The water is warm and Bucky is too, always, and Jane doesn’t mind touching him as long as he doesn’t look uncomfortable by it. She does it a few more times, sinking the sponge and squeezing the water to wet Bucky’s nape and back, smiling softly when Bucky starts to relax under her fingers. The man rubs his eyes with the heel of his hand and then glances at the Mother, who is folding some clothes that were inside the bag for Jane. Jane sees the small water droplets falling from his lashes, and follows one from his cheekbone to his lips before realising she’s too close to him.

But Bucky doesn’t seem to mind, looking like he’s struggling to keep his eyes open only to wet his face again shaking his head before running his hand through his hair. 

His arms flex with the movement, all hard muscle and tanned skin, and she wants to reach and drag her nails all over. She’s becomes aware that the tingle between her legs returns, her nipples rubbing the fabric of the dress almost pleasingly, the blush on her cheeks and the heat pooling on her belly all at once. She feels overwhelmed with heat, and she shakes her head trying to ignore it. Bucky leans back, spreading his arms across the edge of the tub like he forgets Jane is there, and maybe he does, but the Mother is still there and now it seems only Jane can sense her. Dragging the wet sponge across his chest, she wonders if she would have to do that for someone else in the future. Maybe they won’t look like Bucky does, they won’t be as muscled or… Hot, like he felt under her hands. 

And she _can’t_ shake it. The arousal. Her body asking her to feel the heat of another person’s body, her hand eager to explore every inch of the naked body under them, and she bites her lip when they reach the part where his body sinks into the water, right under his navel. Where she wonders if he’s hard, if his cock had woken under her touch, as inexpert as it is, she wonders if Bucky is aware of the state she's in, and if that would turn him on.

The door is slammed closed and she jumps, dropping the sponge into the water as she looks at the Mother. She is gone. And Bucky tells her the coast is clear as he reaches for the sponge to finish the bath by himself.

She tells him she is hungry and is going to have her breakfast.

The tray with food had been left on the bed. The eggs are still warm but she doesn’t feel like eating them anymore, instead, she reaches for the small bowl of chopped strawberries taking them all into her mouth at once, chewing almost angrily. They are sour, unlike the ones she’s had at Haze, and she twists her mouth while she finishes chewing them not wanting to spit them out.

She feels her face heat up, and when she glances at her reflection in the mirror, the blush on her cheeks had spread to her neck and collarbone. Her lips are strawberry red, and glistening since she couldn’t stop biting them before, and she wants to reach between her legs and touch herself to take the edge off, everything feels just bottled inside of her.

Bucky stands from the tub, she doesn’t turn but she hears the water splashing around as he makes his way out.

She feels… Hysteric. And she wants to laugh at the though. She relaxes her hands when realises she’s been gripping her dress tightly, the palms of her hand have small crescent moon-like markings where her nails were dug. If Bucky left after his bath, if he was out long enough, maybe she could just…

“You can come” 

 _Yes_.

“What?” Jane turns to Bucky.

He wraps a towel loosely around his hips and dries his face with another one. Jane lets herself stare while he does, feeling herself grow wetter between her tights.

“I went back to Coulson’s”

Jane tilts her head confused. He looks at her, glancing at her dress before looking away, and sighs. Jane reaches for one of the pillows behind her and does her best to cover herself with it.

“Coulson” He repeats, “The owner of-“

“Your friend, yes” Jane says, and it comes out harsh.

Bucky scowls before he continues.

“He wasn’t there but I talked to May…” He trails off.

Jane frowns, not understanding what he was trying to say, the long pause between words was starting to make her anxious. There’s a loud thunder and Jane looks outside the window realising it was still raining, pouring, and the storm didn’t show any signs of stopping anytime soon. The bed sinks with the weight of Bucky sitting on it, and Jane glances at him. 

“You said-” Bucky starts, “You said that you knew every road and path to every colony” he turns to her.

She nods.

“I did” Then adding, “I do” 

Bucky looks at her closely, like he’s trying to catch her telling a lie. The realisation of what he actually meant, of what he’s trying to tell Jane, makes her take a deep breath that fills her lungs, and her heart bursts inside her chest. She leaves the pillow aside and sits up on her knees in front of him to look at him in the eyes.

“I spent my whole life studying the stars” She starts, “drawing the maps of the New World every since I was old enough to hold a pencil”

The Commanders in Glassmere were cartographers, they used to travel long distances with compasses, measuring chains, and optical equipment for measuring altitudes and distances, learning to use their tools to draw maps of the New World, and the stars to find their way as they traveled every road. As the commander’s eldest – and only – child, Jane had been passed all that knowledge, so that once she was of age she could be selected to be the next High Commander of Glassmere, just like her father had been and his mother before him.

Bucky clenches his jaw, “If you are ly-“ 

“If there is someone who can help you get to Catalean it’s me” Jane cuts him off, “If you want to go to the Freelands I can show you the way, hell, I’ll walk through Ash Valley and beyond" 

She could take Bucky to Catalean if that’s what he wanted, she could take him to the Freelands if he asked her to. When Bucky stays quiet she looks away, closing her eyes thinking maybe he chased the opportunity away by talking or thinking too much, like every time Bucky had offered something.

“I will take you to The Cinders” 

She lifts her gaze.

“With Darcy, and then you will point me towards Catalean and Mara-“

 

* * *

 

Jane’s body is warm against his when she throws her arms around his neck.

He tenses and it takes a few seconds for him to react before he relaxes and pats her back awkwardly. It was the first time she touched him without having to fix up a wound or bandage some injury. She pulls back and smiles bright at him. Her cheeks red, and Bucky though she would cry but despite her eyes being glassy she isn't. Jane hugs him again, like she can't believe it just quite yet, and Bucky grips the towel tighter around himself.

"I won't let you down, I promise" Jane says, warm against him. 

Bucky puts his hands on her shoulders and pushes her away softly nodding when he can look at her face. Jane sits back on the bed and covers herself with one of the pillows. He clears his throat and stands from the bed to walk towards the closet for some clothes, she glances at him curiously, or expectantly he isn't sure. He is sure, thought, that she wants to know how and when. Two questions he can't answer yet. In four days, May said. 

"Fuck, Bucky, I'm leaving in less that a week" Jane says quietly, all excitement gone from her voice.

He turns to her, surprised by the cursing for a split of second and she rubs her eyes and cups her head before rubbing her temples. He drops the towel around his waist and it pools around his feet as he pulls his underwear and pants up, grabbing a shirt from the closet before walking towards her while he puts it on.

"Jane"

She looks at him when he cups her face.

"I promise that I will get you out of here" He says firmly, "If- _When_ I leave, you come with me" 

After a few seconds she nods and the smile is back on her face. A knock on the door makes them both jump, and Bucky throws a glance at Jane before they both move away from each other and stand from the bed. Jane picks up the tray of food and goes to the couch, sits with it on her lap and starts eating as he opens the door ajar, peeking outside.

“What do you want?”

The bald, pail servant that was assigned to that part of the tower blinks slowly at him. Bucky’s mouth twist and the Bald Man’s lips spread to show a row of yellowish teeth in something that looked like a smile. His eyes shift behind Bucky for a split of second, before he crosses his arms at the wrists and finally finally speaks.

“Master Arnim Zola wishes your presence at the sparring gymnasium” He says, “Immediately”

Bucky nods tightly. He turns to Jane one last time – she is distracted poking the eggs around the plate with the fork in her hands – before he grabs his jacket and shoes and leaves.

 

* * *

 

 

Jane didn’t know where Bucky went, but it was already dark outside and he hadn’t come back. She wanted to ask him how his plans were, who was he going to ask help to – if he was – and when would they leave, it had to be soon since she was going to be taken away in a couple of days. She shuffles on the couch trying to find a better position for what feels thousandth time, rubbing her neck as she lifts her gaze from the book she had been reading the past two hours. She feels uncomfortably warm, it had stopped raining outside and the room felt too hot. 

She purses her lips when she glances at the clock. 

10: 32 p. m.

Folding the corner of the page, she closes the book and tosses it aside, picking up one of the clean towels the manservant had left for Bucky a few hours ago as she makes her way to the shower. She ties her hair up before she undresses quickly.

It was the second bath she took, and she considers using the bathtub instead while she turned the shower on. The spray of warm water sends shivers down her spine and she hums happily gathering some in her hands to wash her neck and face, when she glances at the tub her mind supplies the memory of Bucky inside of it, glistening and completely naked, as she ran a wet sponge all over his skin.

The room still smells like peppermint and she likes it, even though she prefers lavender, she bites her lips thinking of it on Bucky’s skin and hair.

Her body reacts immediately, he would probably take longer in arriving, so she had time. Her nipples feel sensitive when she cups her breasts, caressing then her stomach and moving lower, and when she glances down she sees the red stained water sliding between her tights and legs to be washed away by the drainage. Just like the Mother predicted.

She sighs and turns the cold water on. Bucky would probably arrive in a few minutes anyways.


	13. Nothing Gold Can Stay

Jane hadn’t been able to sleep the night before. Not because she was wondering where Bucky had been – he arrived almost at midnight, looking sweaty and dirty– but because of the throbbing pain in the lower part abdomen. She twisted and turned all night trying to find a comfortable position, feeling overwhelmed by Bucky’s warmth next to her. The Mother had told her that it would be common for the pain to be more severe than it normally was since she had drank the morning tonic for over a week, it wouldn’t affect her more than that though. She left pads for her and, very thankfully, underwear. She had woken up in the middle of the night to borrow actual pijamas from Bucky, the sleeping dress she normally use was too thin and the rain outside had made the room too cold, but now she couldn’t wait to take them off, the sweat running down her back made the clothes stick to her body.

“Stop it” Bucky grunts.

She turns to narrow her eyes at Bucky, who remained with eyes closed as he slept on his belly. She stares at the ceiling before turning her body towards him, laying her head on her arm. Bucky opens one eye and grunts. 

“What”

Jane shakes her head softly, “I’m not tired”

Another thing that kept her awake was the thought of leaving. Bucky had allowed her to go with him once he escaped but hadn’t explained his plans or when will they take place. It had to be soon, in six days she would be taken, and neither of them seemed to have a remote idea of where. Bucky clicks his tongue and she turns to him.

“I can hear you thinking, Jane” He says, “Stop it”

“Sorry” She sighs, “Why were you out so late?”

She waits one beat.

Two.

Three.

“Buc-“

“Zola sent me to the training rooms” He finally says, “I skipped two days and I can’t lose my shape”

Jane chuckles rolling her eyes. She pokes Bucky’s shoulder.

“As if”

“Stop it, Jane”

But he doesn’t move. She purses her lips and stares at the scars, the light of the morning and her proximity finally making it possible, and doesn’t look away until Bucky opens his eyes again and she looks at him for a few seconds. The room was completely silence, the air conditioner was quiet and when she looks outside the window, she realises that it had finally stopped raining outside. She hadn’t paid close attention to his room before, there were very few personal belongings but the walls weren’t naked, a few paintings hung and of course the body-length mirror next to them. Inside the glass cabinet there was a few Old World relics – apart from the whisky bottles and the box containing the gun, there was an old telescope and some ornaments. But nothing told her that the room was Bucky’s. 

“Did you always know you would escape?” She asks, very quietly as is someone was outside the room eavesdropping. 

“No” 

Bucky finally gives up trying to sleep – Jane smiles triumphantly – and turns to lay on his back. He yawns and rubs his eyes with the heel of his hand. 

“During my time in the Barracks I thought I would spend the rest of my life there” He starts, “And when I was made a Legionary I figured I would just get killed inside the Pit”

“Were you afraid?” 

Bucky frowns, “Of fighting?” 

“No” Jane shakes her head, “Of dying in the Pit”

She had heard of the Pit, the gruesome fights that went on down there, and the thing that shocked her the most wasn’t that men were force to fight, but that people actually enjoyed watching them do it. He seems to consider it for a second. Bucky didn’t look like a man who was afraid of anything, but she knew now that with him there was always more than it met the eye.

“I was more afraid of killing” He answers quietly, “Erskine used to say that losing your life was easy, it was killing what was hard” Bucky sighs, “After my first kill I realised… Living with it was worse”

“How many people have you killed?” Jane asks.

He looks at her.

“Eight”

He doesn’t need to give her explanations – he doesn’t have to – Jane knows he hadn’t been given a choice. Jane had been told the Legionaries that lived in Zola’s Tower were owned by Pierce, they were given a name and put in the Pit to win fights for him, they sometimes fought opponents from the Slums or men brought from other Colonies, and sometimes, on very “special” occasions, they were pitted against each other. Bucky is staring when she looks at him, like he expected her to say something about it.

Jane bites her bottom lip, “Have you been close to dying”

Bucky frowns and nods slowly.

“Did you ever think… Did you ever think about refusing a fight?”

“Yes” he answers, “And that’s where some scars come from”

Jane swallows.

“You are wrong, Jane” Bucky says, and he looks at the ceiling when he does, “I’m not a good man”

There is a pregnant pause. And the silence stretches between them like an elastic band, and Jane wants to say something, because if feels like if it stretches any longer it would snap back to hit her in the face. Bucky looks at her then and they stare at each other for a few seconds.

When Jane arrived to the Pit with Madame Aida, she was received by Alexander Pierce and Arnim Zola. They had both kissed the back of her hand, and they exchanged a few pleasantries before turning to Jane. Aida had forbidden her to look at them in the eyes, to keep her gaze down but Jane hadn’t. Zola had had greed in his eyes as he looked at the gold collar around her neck, she hadn’t cared for him. And then there was Pierce. He carried himself with the borderline arrogance that comes with corrupt power, too confident and proud to acknowledge anyone, but his blue eyes had looked into Jane’s own brown ones as he kissed her palm. His stare made her feel like he was hunting her down, like he would sink her teeth on her, chew her up and spit her out.

Bucky’s eyes showed the exact opposite despite being almost the same kind of blue. His eyes were soft, kind, they encompassed warmth and tranquility, they were wise in a way a man his age could not be. And maybe Bucky was.

Bucky was also broken. There was pain and hurt, like he had been pulled apart and sewn back together for too long and too often. Jane doesn’t know if she had known him long enough to tell him that, or if he already knew and that’s why he didn’t believe he was good because he didn’t feel like good enough.

“You can be consumed by pain” Jane says, “But that doesn’t mean you are a bad person” 

Bucky looks away and stays quiet a few more seconds. 

“Sometimes, Jane” He says, “You act like you’ve known me long enough to actually _know_ me”

Jane screws her eyes together before standing from the bed, not caring about Bucky’s eyes on her as she does. There’s a knock on the door before Jane can say something, and she isn’t sure she had something to say but she was still relieved. Bucky stands from the bed and she takes off his pijamas, tossing them to the other side of the room, before she sits back on the bed. Rubbing her eyes she listens to the hushed conversation between Bucky and the man outside, not being able to quite catch what they are talking about. When Bucky slams the door close she jumps slightly and looks at him.

“I have to go” Bucky says.

“Oh” Jane swallows, “Ok” 

Bucky glances at her before starting to undress, “I’m- we’ll talk later” he says, unbuttoning his pants.

Jane frowns. Bucky then nods at the glass cabinet, where the gun was still hidden. 

“Yeah?” Bucky asks, and he’s already at the door.

“Yes” Jane nods.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Stick walks around him like he’s surrounding his pray. Because of his old age, he no longer trained with the Legionaries everyday, so whenever he was in the gymnasium he made sure to correct every detail he thought was wrong, looking intently at everyone as he made his rounds. Bucky had spent four hours already in the training rooms with him before he decided to move to sparring, a small crowd of Legionaries gathered around as he made Bucky wrestle each and every single one of them to the ground, over and over. His sore muscles were starting to protest, but he couldn’t complain, if he did Stick would ask why did he skipped two days of training, the answer was Rumlow attacking him but he couldn’t say that.

He could see Rumlow with the corner of his eye, observing him from a dark corner of the room. He doesn’t make anything of it, until Zola enters the room and Rumlow stretches his neck, smirking mischievously as he realises it’s the short man. A hollowed wooden cane hits his back and Bucky is wrestled into the ground by the man he had been sparring with.

“Focus, Winter!” Stick grits, “You are losing focus”

Bucky clenches his jaw, putting one hand on the mat underneath him to push himself up in one swift movement. 

“Master Stick” Zola says. 

The older man sneers at him. Like everyone else in the room, he despised Zola. 

“What do you want?” Stick asks, “I’ve told you to never interrupt my sessions” he adds gritting his teeth.

Zola licks his lips, “I know, Master Stick, I apologize- but Bucky- Winter, must come with me" 

Bucky frowns and the same time Stick curses, but he gestures him to leave nevertheless. Zola starts walking outside of the room and Bucky clenches his jaw as he follows the man outside, throwing a glare at Rumlow when he hears him chuckle. Zola turns to him when they are just outside the room and purses his lips, wrinkling his nose when he takes a good look at Bucky. He can feel the sweat running down his temple and in the back of his head, it makes the clothes stick to his body uncomfortably and he considers telling Zola to make it quick so he can go to the showers.

“Winter, you have been reported by another fighter” Zola says.

Bucky takes a deep breath in, his hands clench on each side of his body as he registers what Zola said.

“I had my doubts about it”

Yeah, right.

“But now that I look at you” He flicks his tongue, “All… Bruised up” he waves a hand at his face.

“And what exactly was repo-“

“You know fights are forbidden!” Zola yells, but Bucky doesn’t recoil.

“And did Rumlow told you how did it-“

Zola scoffs, “It was Doom who spoke” he says, Bucky scowls, “The poor man just arrived and you are already picking up fights with-“ 

“I didn’t fucking start it” Bucky grits out. 

Zola looks baffled before he clears his throat and arranges the collar of his shirt, “I thought about your punishment all night” he says, “The Barracks maybe, or fifty slashes, maybe chain you outside for two days, in the stocks”

Zola’s smile was sardonic, yet his eyes held a glint of humor. His tone was as if he was describing a day in the Slums, and Bucky wasn’t surprised, Zola took some sadistic pleasure in punishment and torture. Perhaps that’s why Billy Russo has ended up like he did.

“But His Greatness High Commander Pierce asked me personally not to punish you for doing what it was expected of you” Zola pouts and then looks at him with as much arrogance as man who’s opinion Bucky didn’t care about could muster. “You are all animals after all” 

Bucky can feel his blood boiling. 

“But next week you fight for free” the man says, looking at his nails as if they were the most interesting thing in the world, “And you say goodbye to that gift of yours” 

“What?” Bucky’s heart skip a beat.

Zola rolls his eyes, “The dove” he explains, “Well, the clipped dove” he smirks.

“Pier- His greatness Pierce gave-“

Zola hits his face with the back of his hand. And Bucky would punch him if it wasn’t because he knew that if he did, he wouldn’t stop. He looks at Zola, who is rubbing the back of the hand as if the slap had hurt him more than it did Bucky – and it must have – and clenches his jaw 

“She’s must be gone by now” Zola adds, and turns to walk towards the elevators a few feet from them. 

Bucky follows him with a glare in his eyes and the man grins somewhat triumphantly before he steps inside the elevator. 

“And go back to the training rooms!” He yells before the doors close.

 

* * *

 

 

Jane glanced at the door for the thousandth time, not understanding what was going on. Hours ago Bucky had left telling her that he would be back and they could talk about their escaping plan, now, the Mother was pacing around the room waiting for their driver, probably Skaar, to pick them up. She was being taken already, and she didn’t understand what was going on.

She glances at the door again.

Jane could push pass the Mother and leave the room, she could look for Bucky and ask if he had something to do with it. But deep inside Jane knew he didn’t have control over anything that happened inside Zola’s Tower, Bucky didn’t even had control over what happened to him. She’s frozen in the same spot in the middle of the room, her nails digging into her palms and her throat tight.

“At least you would have a few days to prepare for the auction” The Mother says, “Whatever the Legionary did must have been serious”

Jane tenses, “What do you mean, Mother”

The Mother look at her and shrugs, “Well, that’s why you are leaving early, Tulip” she shrugs, “The man broke some rule and he’s being punished” 

Jane feels the bile rising to her throat. She immediately thinks of Rumlow, how he attacked Bucky a few nights before, and then remembers Bucky saying he didn’t fight back because fighting outside the Pit was forbidden. Screwing her eyes together she tries not to cry. Not because now they would’t be able to escape, but because Bucky would probably be sent back to the Barracks. He had said he would go mad. Like Billy Russo had, only Bucky wouldn’t find escape in Supernova.

And for a second Jane doesn’t care what happens afterwards to her, if she’s sent to Hysteria or to Pierce. She only wishes they could say goodbye.

“Tulip” 

Jane looks at the Mother.

“Let’s go, dear”

She offers a nod but doesn’t start walking until the older woman’s hand is on his back, pushing her softly. Skaar is outside, hands crosses at the wrists as he steps in the hall waiting for them, when he looks away and frowns Jane takes a deep breath. Bucky is covered in sweat, panting slightly as he pushes pass the man and enters the room, breathing her same air in two long strides.

“Legionary!” The Mother exclaims, she gestures at Skaar.

The big man nods jerkly and enters the room. Jane steps between him and Bucky, placing her hands on the man’s chest and glancing at the Mother, who takes a hand to her chest dramatically. Jane rolls her eyes and turns to Skaar.

“He is Pierce’s Legionary” She says, voice shaky as she looks up at him. 

Skaar chuckles, “I won’t hurt him” he says, “Much”

Bucky’s warm hand circles her arm and she glances at the Mother before turning to him. He gives a small nod neither of the other two can interpret as something but she understands. 

Bucky licks his lips, “I just want a treat” he tells the Mother with a shrug.

Skaar gives a step forward, but the Mother stops him. Pushing the heavy looking black bag she had in her shoulder into the man’s chest, throwing an apologetic glance at Bucky. Skaar presses his lips but take the bag, nodding at the Mother, who raises an eyebrow at him. 

“In that case, I don’t see a problem” She says, offering Bucky a grin.

Bucky offers a quick smile back, before he raises an eyebrow at Skaar, who lets a growl like sound before giving two long strides back where he had been standing a minute ago. Bucky’s thumb caresses her arm and she looks from Skaar back to him, her brown eyes burying into his blue one as she wonders what would happen to him once she was gone, like she could do something about it if she knew. Bucky cups her face then, caressing her beauty mark with the tip of his thumb, and she takes a breath in when he leans forward, pressing his lips into hers. Her hands shoot out to rest on his forearms and she closes her eyes when Bucky licks over her lips, opening them to deepen the kiss. 

But Bucky breaks the kiss. 

His lips quirk upwards and then he leans in again. She closes her eyes but he doesn’t kiss her again, instead she feels his warm breath agains the shell of her ear.

“I promised”

And with that he is gone.

“We have to go, Tulip, it might rain again and it’s getting dark outside” 

Bucky gives a few steps back and the Mother offers him a polite smile and a goodbye, Skaar glares at Bucky before he stars walking towards the elevators in her heels. Before the door of Bucky’s room closes behind them, she glances at him over her shoulder but Bucky isn’t looking at her anymore. 

Still, he did promise they would escape.


	14. Ubroken promises from a broken man

Stick puts a foot on the middle of his back. The hollowed wooden cane he used to support his weight pressed against the nape of his neck, and then moving to rest between his shoulder blades. Bucky’s mouth flattened into a thin line and his jaw worked his teeth together, his sore muscles already protesting after hours of being worked and overworked. Still, he maintained his posture, hands flat against the mat and his body a straight line, lifting his gaze just slightly. Stick hums, as he walks in a circle around Bucky.

“You look weary”

The night before he had laid wide awake while working a plan to get out of there sooner than he had anticipated, he ran countless scenarios in his mind, but none that could work for both him and Jane to be able to leave. He hadn’t been able to sleep until he could see the dawn breaking from outside his window, and less than two hours later there had been a knock on his door. He throws a glance at the older man, who seemed to be waiting for some kind of answer despite never asking a question.

Bucky is _so fucking_ tired. 

Stick takes a deep breath in, “I would send you to the stocks if I could” Bucky narrows his eyes, “You should have been punished for starting a fight” 

“I _didn’t_ ” Bucky says between gritted teeth, “Start the fight”

“That so?” Stick chuckles.

The man then crouches next to him, Bucky doesn’t miss the way his hand shakes before he grips the cane tightly so he doesn’t lose balance. Stick is too old already, ninety two years old, and he had never seen anything but what’s inside the walls of Arcadia. 

“Then who did, _Bucky_?” He asks, “Who was the one who threw the first punch, when I’ve taught each and every single one of you not to fight out of spite?”

Honor. It’s what Pierce told them they fought for. For honor was that they got inside the Pit’s arena and ripped eachother to pieces as if they were feral beasts instead of men. Bucky used to believed that, when he had stopped being reckless but not stupid, and then years passed and his body stopped feeling young. 

“Who was it?” Stick asks again.

Bucky looks at the old man in his eyes. Stick’s eyes had gone from wild green to milky white over the years, as far as Bucky knew he was blind from one eye and could barely see from the other, using the sixth sense he had developed to know how to and where to break them. He stands then, and moves a step away from Bucky before gesturing him to stand up too. When he does, his arms feel like they are on fire and he can’t stop his fingers from shaking, he clenches his hands in fists tightly on each side of his body and glares at Stick. 

“Why?” Bucky asks, “Why do you want to know?” Stick’s mouth twitches in what might have been a smile or a grimace, “Zola won’t do anything about it, you can’t do anything about it”

“But you can, and you want to” Stick lifts his chin, he starts walking around the room, “When I met you, you were so filled with anger,” He starts, “fighting everything that came your way, convinced that this wasn’t your life” Flicking his tongue he turns to him, “You’ve reversed to that pathetic kid holding on so tightly to his anger simply because if he’s afraid to let go, fall and break like you’ve forgotten-” 

“I am broken!” 

Bucky’s voice bounces against walls, and only then he realises there is no one else left in the room but him and Stick. Once it goes quiet again, he can hear his heavy pants and the blood rushing to his ears. Stick is wrong, he’s not angry anymore, he’s just… Tired. The weariness of so many years locked in a cage settles in his bone, wraps around him like a second skin. He’s been ripped apart and pulled back together for too long, way too often and he’s _so_ tired. When Bucky looks at Stick, his brow is furrowed, like he is trying to figure him out, and Bucky wonders if he ever did or if he never really bothered. The wrinkles on the man’s face seem to deepen as seconds pass.

Stick used to be a Legionary too, he was said to have over a thousand kills under his belt and not a single lost. Bucky doesn’t want to be like him. Never being able to see the world outside because he had settled for ephemeral glory, a plastic crown that he didn’t even get to keep. 

“I look at you and I see what I could become” Bucky shakes his head, “An armoured mess of broken pieces inside, stuck together with nothing but the need to survive and I’m done” Stick stares at him, and Bucky knows he can see through him, “I’m done pretending that I’m fine with being stuck here when I want to leave” 

He wants to _live_.

“Alright, boy” Bucky takes a sharp breath in, “you can go but come back tomorrow morning” Stick says dismissively, “You should get yourself a drink” 

Bucky clenches his jaw when the man walks pass him and puts a hand on his shoulder. He glares at him, but doesn’t shake his hand off his shoulder, and Stick gives a small thoughtful sigh. 

“The Slums must be empty today” He adds squeezing his shoulder before he lets him go.

And he lets him go.

It was dark outside when Bucky got to his room. He slammed the door closed, knowing that the Bald Man had been following with his eyes as he left the elevator, he wasn’t sure if he was still doing it but he couldn’t shake the chills on his spine whenever the man was near him. Bucky toes his shoes off and kicks them away, not caring where they ended up as he peel the sweaty shirt off his body. 

Once he’s naked he steps into the shower, he considers using the bathtub and when he glances at it he remembers Jane inside. Or him inside and Jane’s hand on him. He shakes his head and turns on the shower, letting the cold spray of water fall on him, washing his hair and the sweat from his skin. Stick had mentioned the Slums, and Bucky had been told by May to not return for three more days, still, he needed to talk to her and Coulson, to tell them what had happened. 

While he’s dressing, Bucky builds a plan inside his head and finally comes up with something. The clock was ticking for him, but for Jane, time had already ran out.

 

* * *

 

The night is cold but that didn’t keep the people at the Slums to go out. The rain had started again that afternoon but stopped hours before, still, the street pavements were slippery and there were still wet in some areas, muddy puddles in others. Bucky walked with his head low, hand on the pockets of his leather jacket as he tried to make his way through the most crowded area of the citadel. He stops infront of the building with purple neon letters and stares for a few seconds, looking over his shoulder to make sure no one is paying attention to him before entering to Haze. 

There’s a different woman in the entrance that smiles at him when he looks at her. Bucky flashes his most charming smile and walks towards her. 

“Hello there, welcome to Haze” She says.

He reaches for the name tag pinned to her shirt and smiles, “Roxy” She nods, “Call me James, love”

“At your service, sir” Roxy blushes, “Will you like a booth or are you going inside a room?” 

Bucky smiles, “I just want a drink at the bar"

“That won’t be a problem” The woman smiles, “Your ID card, please” 

Bucky reaches inside his jacket for it and purses his lips.

“Fuck” He says, “I think I might have left it at home”

Roxy pouts, “Oh” she says, “I’m afraid I can’t-“

“Listen, Roxy” Bucky leans in, he licks his lips, “I’ve been in the Pit all week and today is my only free day”

“You are a Legionary?” 

Bucky nods, “I just really need a drink, you know, to clear my head”

Roxy considers it for a second and Bucky starts feeling nervous. She then glances around before sighing. She offers him a smile.

“Welcome to Haze”

He takes her hand and kisses the back of it before he walks inside the club with her eyes on him all the time. He walks towards the bar hoping to see Daisy, but she is not there. He sighs and orders a glass of whisky, looking around for another less familiar face. When he finally finds Redskull he takes a deep breath in, searching with his eyes for the young woman that had been with him when he visited with Jane. 

“Here you go, sir”

He turns. The bartender leaves the drink for him and he glances once more at Redskull before taking the glass to his lips and throwing his head back. The whisky is not like the one they sell at the Sticky Horse, or the one he had in his room, it was dry, bitter and sour at the same time and Bucky swallows it forcefully, waiting for the warmth feeling that never settles in his stomach. They should stick to their champagne.

“You are Tulip’s Host”

With a scowl he turns to find Redskull’s companion leaning against the bar, her red-coated nails dancing on the wooden surface as she purses her lips and runs her eyes over him. She looks younger up close, despite the layes of make up on her face, and Bucky wonders if she is younger than Jane, if so, she must be at most nineteen and Redskull was three times her age. She gestures the bartender to pour her a drink and then goes back to look at him. 

“Jane?” She repeats, a perfectly plugged eyebrow raised at him, “You were here a few days ago with her”

Bucky nods, turning her body to her, “I’m her friend” he says. 

The girl chuckles, “My Master says you are a Legionary”

“Yes, I am” Bucky nods tightly, he didn’t know Redskull personally but the man knew every single fighter from the Pit, “What’s you name?" 

She purses her lips, “Rosebud”

“Your real name”

“Rosebud” She smiles, “It was the name I was given when I was saved from the Slums”

For some, the very few that managed, that was freedom.

“Rosebud, it is” He offers her his hand, “I’m Bucky”

Rosebud doesn’t take it. Instead, she hooks her fingers on the collar around her neck and offers an apologetic shrug while her other hand reaches for the purple drink the bartender left in the bar for her. Unlike the one the Mother had put on Jane the night they went out, Rosebud’s collar was thick gold, encrusted with rubies, a red tag of sorts that told everyone that she belonged to Redskull permanently. Bucky nods and retrieves his hand.

“Look Rosebud, I was helping Jane- Tulip in something”

Rosebud raises an eyebrow. 

He shakes his head, “She wants to leave Arcadia, to look for her family in-“ 

“I know that” Rosebud waves a dismissive hand and sighs, “She went on and on about it when we arrived to the House” 

Bucky looks at her. Rosebud drinks what’s left from her drink and orders another. There’s a small purse in her hand, she opens it and reaches inside for a small black tube and a portable mirror. She uncaps the black tube, lipstick, and coats her lips as she looks at herself in the mirror.

“I want to help her”

Rosebud snaps the mirror close and looks at him.

“Cute” She says, and lets out a small giggle again, “When I saw you all cozy up I thought she had finally warm up to the idea" 

Bucky’s nostrils flare, “She-“

“She was punished often, you know? In the House” Rosebud says, pouting as she puts the lipstick away, “She talked back a lot at the Mother, always questioning her or disobeying” She sighs, “I wondered how many more shocks she could take”

Daisy had told Bucky about the prod the Mothers used on them whenever they disobeyed. He grips the empty glass of whisky in his hand, he always thought he had been too late to save Daisy despite the woman always been grateful, and he didn’t want to fail twice. 

“Ouch, handsome, your hand”

He frowns, looking at Rosebud and then at his hand, where the glass had cracked and he was bleeding. The bartender notices and simply presses his lips and shakes his head, taking the glass from him.

“Where is she anyways?” Rosebud asks, “Jane” her lips curl around the name and she smiles, “Left her at home?” 

Bucky glances around, no one is looking at them, not even Redskull, and he leans towards Rosebud.

“She was taken” He explains, “I… I got into a fight and they took her away as punishment" 

Rosebud frowns, “Okay?”

“I need to know where” Bucky says, “After you are… Clipped you go into auction, right?” She nods, “Where is it? I know it will be in three days but-“

“It’s at the House” Rosebud tilts her head, “I said that didn’t I?” 

Bucky scowls, “What house?” 

“Madame Aida’s house” Rosebud answers, “And is not an auction, like we are cattle” she snorts, “It’s a party”

Bucky is taken aback by that. He had heard of Madame Aida’s parties but he didn’t know the Clipped Doves were auctioned – because that’s what it was, Rosebud, you just don’t get money – in them. Rosebud tilts her head scanning him curiously, and when he narrows her eyes at her, she smiles.

“Look, handsome, I believe you” She shrugs, “You want to help her, get her out of Arcadia and all that” 

“I promised Jane I would” Bucky says firmly. 

Rosebud glances around before she purses her lips and gestures the bartender for yet another drink. She picks up her purse and stands from her chair. Her fingers wrap around the glass as the bartender fills it, and she looks in Redskull’s direction, like she doesn’t want him to catch them talking. And Bucky wouldn’t want that either.

“The party is in three days, like you said” She starts, “But you must have a White Card, an invitation to enter”

Bucky nods, “How-“

“My Master was invited but he has me” Rosebud takes her drink “Come back the day of the event for his card”

“Rosebud-“

“And don’t come back here until then” She tells him, “My Master could get suspicious”

“Thank you”

She smiles at him, “Jane is lucky to have a… Friend like you”

Rosebud cups his jaw and plants a kiss on the corner of his mouth, when she pulls back, Bucky can see a glint in her eyes. With that the woman leaves and Bucky follows her with his eyes until she reaches the area where Redskull is. Rosebud glances at him and her lips quirk upwards, and he stands to mix with the crowd before wiping the lipstick off his cheek. When he reaches the door, Roxy asks him if he got what he needed, he did, but he doesn’t answer leaving Haze without looking back.

The Sticky Horse is a few blocks away. He walks at a fast pace, counting his steps under his breath, not bothering to look up when someone bumps into him. He finally lifts his gaze after two hundred eighty two steps, and enters Coulson’s bar scanning the room for his face. A hand holds his elbow and he looks down.

“What are you doing here?”

They both ask at unison.

Daisy purses her lips and looks around, gesturing him to follow her. He glances at May in the bar and she offers him a nod before Daisy pushes him inside the room in the back.

There’s a group of men playing decks on the table in the middle of the room. Bucky wrinkles his nose when he inhales, the air reeked of cigarette smoke and alcohol, and he knows he’ll have it in his hair and clothes after he left. When Coulson sees him he tells the men to leave and they comply despite protesting, as Daisy and Bucky wait in the corner in silence.

“What are you doing here?” Coulson asks, crossing his arms as he closes door behind the last man. 

“I asked him the same thing” Daisy says, mimicking his expression.

Bucky can’t help but chuckle. 

“May spoke to you?” He asks then, “About…” 

Daisy’s eyes shift between him and her father.

“I need to leave in three days” Bucky says.

“It’s done, Bucky” Coulson simply says.

“So soon?” Daisy asks.

Bucky looks at her and nods once. By now, Daisy must know about Jane and that he will be leaving Arcadia with her. Coulson scratches his chin when Daisy purses her lips, a disappointment expression in her eyes before she offers Bucky a smile. 

“Dad says you are taking someone with you” 

“Yeah“

“The dove from Haze?” Daisy asks, he nods, “Huh...”

Bucky raises an eyebrow, “What are you doing here anyways? I thought you were working there“

“I was fired” Daisy shrugs, “There’s only one asshole I can stand and you don’t go to Haze much”

She punches Bucky’s shoulder and he winces, feeling the arm still sore. She apologizes and he chuckles, throwing an arm around her to kiss the top of her head.

“I need one more thing” Bucky says, looking at Coulson, “Jane is not in Zola’s Tower anymore”

Coulson frowns, “Why? What happened?" 

“Rumlow told Zola about the fight”

“You mean about him jumping on you?” Daisy cuts in.

Bucky glances at Coulson and he simply shrugs. Daisy frowns slightly when he looks at her for a few seconds, not sure if she’s comfortable talking about the next part. She had been a dove herself, against her will just like Jane, and she knew what happened on auction night.

“She’s… going to be auctioned the night we are suppose to leave and-“ 

“The ceremony” Daisy says, “For the…” She trails off. 

The ceremony wasn’t just being bathed and dressed for the auction. While the Doves spent time with their Host, the person who clipped them, they were given a morning tonic to prevent pregnancies – Bucky had seen the Mother give it to Jane – condoms could be used but most men preferred not to. After they were sold to their Master, they had to be sterilised, permanently left deprived of the ability to produce unwanted offspring. Unlike in the Old World, where they had to have surgery, the medic would simply inject them as if it was a vaccine. Daisy had told him that it hadn’t hurt, she wasn’t even aware what had happened until she was told by May. He should have told Jane.

“I can take you to Aida’s” Daisy says, “I know how to get there“ 

He doesn’t miss the way Coulson’s eye widen.

“You are not going back there” Coulson cuts her off.

Bucky’s eyes shift from Daisy to Coulson as they have a hushed argument. He knows he has no place in that conversation, despite wanting – and needing – Daisy’s help. When the argument starts becoming redundant he clears his throat and they both stay quiet, Coulson’s mouth flattens into a thin line and Daisy crosses her arms. After a few seconds in silence Daisy speaks. 

“I’m not going back there” Daisy says, “I’m showing Bucky the way, I won’t step inside the house”

Coulson sighs heavily and turns to Bucky, “She’ll just show you the way” he says, “If she steps one foot on that house you’ll be leaving Arcadia feet first”

Bucky and Daisy enchange looks and then he nods at Coulson.

“I promise” 

Coulson then leaves the room, muttering curses under his breath, and Daisy throws at smile at him before leaving behind her father. He wouldn’t complain about Bucky taking Daisy with him, he knew he could trust him. Besides, Bucky made very few promises, but he had never broken the ones he made before.


	15. One Door Closes…

For two days Jane is kept locked in a room where no one but the Mother, who’s real name she learns is Esther, can have contact with her. Not even Madame Aida, who she only saw the day she arrived, when Jane thought she would be taken back to Hysteria but instead was taken to a big mansion that she assumed was the woman’s house. It’s part of some sort of ceremony to prepare her for her next Master, the man who would own her for the rest of her life. For the way Esther spoke about it, Jane presumed they considered it similar to holy matrimony except there were no gods involved, and if there was, it would be Aida who asume the position. Arcadia wasn’t the only colony where they had brothels, they had one in Glassmere, but they didn’t… Sell the women like slaves. She had been given a necklace as a “gift”, a thin gold chain with her new name on it that she couldn’t take off even to sleep, Aida gave one to every clipped dove and they had to give it to their Masters the day after the auction. A symbolic gesture of some sorts. 

She traces her fingers on the gold chain around her neck, the only thing she was wearing apart from the bathrobe as she sat naked on the bed, waiting for Esther to draw her a bath. 

“What’s on you mind, dear?” Esther asks, dropping some oils on the water. 

Jane lifts her gaze and shakes her head softly. 

“I was wondering if you could call me Jane” She says quietly after a few seconds. 

Esther sighs heavily, “Jane is such an… Insipid name” she says, “Tulip is the name of a flower, dear, which you are” 

Jane looks at her and Esther offers her a smile. She doesn’t return it, looking away.

A few more minutes pass and the older woman tells her to enter the tub. It wasn’t as big as Bucky’s but she could sink in the water if she bent her knees. There was a sweet smell as she sunk on the water, biting the inside of her cheek as the hot water touched her skin, she grips the marble edge of the tub and doesn’t let go until she’s seated. 

Esther had told her a warm bath would soothe her menstrual pains, but they had subsided since her bleeding was almost over, she doesn’t say it though, the older woman had told her that once it was over she would be waxed and well… That sounded painful, thought she knew it was inevitable. Pain in general. Jane had thought about telling Esther that she was still a virgin, maybe she would be sent to Hysteria like she originally thought they would, but what if they punished her for it. Or Bucky. 

She sighs and slides her body downwards, bending her knees so she could sink completely underwater. It was quiet and it felt vast despite the tub being small, and the room she was in feeling like a cage. And if she was sunk forever she wouldn’t mind. There’s a perpetual silence, and Jane closes her eyes for a second and then opens them, seeing nothing but shadows over her.

A dark figure pulls her out of the water and she takes a sharp intake of breath when her face is in the surface.

“I was asking if you wanted to eat something, Tulip”

Jane blinks the water off her eyelashes several times.

“Jane?” 

She looks at Esther. And after a few seconds she nods, the woman offers her another polite smile and Jane returns it this time. As Esther leaves the room – the door locking from the outside automatically – she wonders if Esther thought what happened in Hysteria was wrong, if she ever questioned Aida’s orders and if once she did she had been punished like Jane had been so many times. Or if she never did, and actually believed there was nothing wrong with it. Jane would never find out, tomorrow was the auction and she was never going to see the woman again.

 _But he promised_ , her mind supplies. 

Jane sighs, reaching for the sponge in the corner of the tub, sinking it under water and wetting her face, neck and hair a few times. For a while Jane is back in Glassmere, in the small tub she had in her bathroom. Or maybe in the one in Bucky’s room, where she had bathed him. She feels the familiar tingle of arousal at the memory, and drags her teeth over her bottom lip, taking a deep breath in.

“Fuck” she says to the empty room.

The door remains closed when Jane glances across the room. Even if someone entered, her body would be covered by the screen panel next to her.

Jane closes her eyes and spreads her tights, slithering one hand between while the other to grip the edge of the tub. It should feel wrong, touching herself thinking about a man she barely knew, but she didn’t care, she needed to take the edge off. 

He is waiting for her on the bed, Bucky’s body is pure hard muscle, the lines of his body catching the dim lightling, it dances over him as Jane makes his way towards him, his cock stands proudly against his belly, leaking as he strokes himself. The bed sinks with her weight as she puts her knees on each side of his hips, straddling him, his hand leaves his cock and he grips her waist. She wants Bucky to lick her mouth open after she kisses him first, dragging her nails all over his shoulders and torso, as he slides the strap of her dress off her shoulders. He kisses her jaw and neck, and he cups her breasts before he kisses and licks on them, her nails dig into his shoulders and he smirks at her, he knows she likes it.

He stands up, taking her with him as if she weighted nothing and he kisses her again, this time wet and messy, sucking her tongue as he places her on the bed. Bucky leans back and drinks her before sliding the dress off her body and then leaning in, pressing his body against the mattress and spreading her tights laying between them. 

She’s already wet for him when he reaches between her tights, his fingers slide between her lips and she grips the bedsheets. Bucky’s hand is bigger than Jane’s, but his thick fingers would slide inside of her easily, and he looks into her eyes, his own are black pupils with a blue ring around them, dilated with arousal, as he pistons them in and out at a slow torturous pace, curling them slightly as her breathing becomes more elaborate. He licks his lips, leaving them pink and glistening and places his free hand on her nape, pulling her into another clumsier kiss. 

Jane’s so close. Her chest flushes pink, her breathing quickens, and she grinds into his fingers seeking the release that seems to try to escape her. Is not enough, what she needs is having him inside of her, fucking her into the mattress with his cock instead of just his fingers. And is almost enough to just imagining it.

The door slams closed and Esther enters with a big smile on her face.

“Jane, I brought breakfast”

Jane’s hand slips from the edge of the tub and she sinks into the water before reaching for something to hold onto, taking a sharp intake of air when her head is out again. She sits on the bathtub panting, rubbing the water off her eyes. When Jane turns to Esther, she’s placing the tray of food on the small coffee table in the middle of the room. Jane sighs deeply and stands, the warm water slides from her body and when then cold air of the room hits her skin she shivers.

“Are you finished?” Esther asks, reaching for a towel. 

“I guess” She answers. 

Esther walks towards her and wraps her with a big towel, helping her to step out of the bathtub. As always, she rubs the towel across Jane’s skin, almost too rough, leaving her skin dry and pink, before reaching for her dress. Once she’s dressed, Jane walks towards the table and takes a seat, Esther, stands a few feet from her hands crossed at the wrists like she’s waiting for something. Jane looks at the perfectly arranged table, maybe the Mothers were instructed to not leave the girls alone with knifes.

“This looks delicious” Jane says, picking up the knife.

Her lips quirk upwards when Esther tenses. She then reaches for a bun of bread and cuts it in half, spreading the strawberry jam Esther brought.

“The jam is good” She mentions a few seconds later.

Esther nods.

“You are still looking a bit pail” She says a few seconds later, “As soon as you stop bleeding you must let me know”

Jane nods, chewing slowly. 

“Esther, is there any other girl in this house?”

“Most of your friends from Hysteria are here” she says, “The others were kept by their hosts to be their masters”

“I’m glad” Jane says, her voice strained, “Is there… A way I could talk to them”

Esther’s head snap towards her, “I’m afraid not, Jane” 

Jane didn’t really cared for them. She just wanted to know if that was true. The house outside seemed to be too quiet for it to be filled with people, but then again the other girls were also clipped doves like her and they were probably being treated the same. It was part of the grooming, the ceremony Esther kept mentioning. 

“That Legionary that clipped you” Esther starts, “He seemed quite upset when you left”

Jane keeps her gaze in her plate, “James” 

“If he had a white card and enough credits to his name, I wouldn’t be surprised he came for you”

The older woman chuckles softly. Jane chuckles because she knows Bucky would come for her anyways.

“What’s a white card?" 

“The invitation for the party, dear”

Jane looks at Esther, “Party?” she frowns, “You mean the auction”

Esther sighs, “You need to stop worrying so much about-“ 

“It’s a party, the auction is a party” She repeats.

Esther’s mouth twists in annoyance, “The guests get to meet you, and you can leave with the one-“

“That pays the most for us” Jane cuts her off, she turns to glare at the older woman, “That is the definition of an auc-“ 

A sharp cry leaves Jane’s throat as a shockwave runs through her body. She grips the tablecloth and when the second wave hits, her whole body tenses, and she falls from the chair, dragging it with her. She hears glass shattering and the silver knife falls inches from her. When the pain stops she’s laying on the floor and she glances at Esther. Her face contorted as if it had hurt her to do it, the prod gripped tightly as she sighs.

“You need to learn respect, Tulip” She says, “No Master will put up with that”

She looks at Jane like she’s making her a favour and Jane feels her blood rushing to her ears as she tries standing.

“Respect… Goes both ways” Jane grits out. 

The last thing she registers is another wave of pain running through her body before everything fades to black.

 

* * *

 

The tape around Bucky’s knuckles had already started to peel hours ago, his knuckles were red but the skin hadn’t broke. He punches the heavy bag a few more times, Stick had been standing behind him all that time, practically breathing on his neck as he told him to go again. They had been doing the same thing over and over since that morning, when Bucky had returned to the gymnasium like Stick had asked him the night before. The older man had look surprised to see him at first, but recovered quickly, offering Bucky a knowing smile before he ordered him to warm up, it would be a long day. And it had been. The gymnasium was still full despite the hour, dinner would be in two hours more but no one showed any signs of leaving anytime soon. Whenever Stick was around, no one wanted to leave. 

Bucky is about to punch the bag again when his fist is stopped by Stick’s palm. He winces when the man grips him tightly, and looks at him.

“I said stop” Stick squeezes tighter and then lets it go. 

Silence stretches in the room and when Stick’s cane hits the floor everyone goes back to mind their business. Bucky looks at Stick, the man hadn’t told him to do anything else other than warm up, he had missed sparring for being doing push ups and punching bags, still, Stick wouldn’t let him go. 

“You are different” Stick says.

Bucky frowns, massaging his knuckles, “What do you mean?”

The doors open and Stick’s face is split by a smile. Bucky's frown deepens as he follows the older man's gaze at the entrance of the room. Rumlow swaggers inside the room followed by Zola and the Bald Man, when he catches Bucky’s glare his lips curve upwards, like he knows there’s something going on that Bucky isn’t aware of. Bucky clenches and unclenches his hands a few times, suddenly aware of the soreness of his knuckles, and the eyes of everyone in the room shifting between him and Rumlow.

“Are you ready?”

He glances downwards at Zola, who looks at him with a raised eyebrow.

Bucky tenses, “What?” 

“Stick” Zola rolls his eyes and turns to the man, “Didn’t you-“

“He is” Stick says.

“Very, well” Zola nods, “You have five minutes” 

Bucky listens to the interaction no understanding what’s going on. Until Zola walks towards the corner of the room and a heavy hand grips his shoulder, when he turns he sees Rumlow, smirking at him and too close to his face.

“I don’t know what you told Stick-“ 

“I ain’t the snitch here, Rumlow” He shrugs his hand off.

When Rumlow’s hand shoots out to get a hold on him again, Stick hits him in the side of the head with his cane. The hollowed sound makes him wince but Bucky knows very well it doesn’t hurt. Rumlow chuckles and throws a glance at Stick, before giving a few steps back.

“Why is he here?” Bucky asks. 

“You told me yesterday you wanted to do something about him”

Bucky’s jaw clenches, “I didn’t”

“You did” Stick nods, “So I asked Zola to give you five minutes with him here” 

Bucky glances at Rumlow, who is stripping his shirt off ready to fight.

“No”

But Stick is already walking towards the other side of the room to join Zola. Bucky looks around him, the room is empty except of the three other men and him, he knows the Bald Man is outside though, his presence always linger a few minutes after he left the room. The man was known to be Zola’s informant and that was part of the reason Bucky hated him so much. That and he was just too fucking creepy. 

He walks towards the middle of the room and rolls his shoudlers as he looks at Rumlow, who was mimicking his moves. They had never been on the Pit together – and they were never going to be – so this would be as close as a fair fight as he would get. Although with Rumlow the fight never seemed to be fair.

He throws the first blow, Rumlow, but Bucky dodges it easily moving a few steps back before Rumlow throws too more. Bucky steps out of range again, and Rumlow is already panting when he takes a good look at him, he feels the adrenaline on his veins, his muscles ready to engage in the fight he had been warming up for all day. He gives two strides towards Rumlow, and before he could bring his hands up to defend himself, Bucky attacks with a big right overhand punch that sends Rumlow backwards.

Rumlow turns his head to spit blood on the mat and Bucky can’t help but smirk.

The anger posesses Rumlow, and that’s how you lose a fight. When he pounces over Bucky a second time, Bucky lifts his fists and covers his face. Rumlow hits a few times but Bucky pushes him and kicks his stomach, later driving his shoulder into Rumlows’s chest, slamming him into the mat, where he started landing solid punches into his gut. When he grips one hand around Rumlow’s neck he realises the tape arond his knuckles had broken, but keeps punching. Rumlow tries breaking free, elbowing his ribcage – where he knows he had kicked Bucky days ago – Bucky growls, a sharp sting fading fast, as Rumlow stands in one swift movement in front of him.

When Bucky does the same, he grins and jabs again at his midsection, but Bucky stops him and before Rumlow can attack again, he delivers an upper cut that sends Rumlow stumbling back. He turns and kicks his knee, and when Rumlow falls and lets out a cry of pain Bucky crouches next to him. Rumlow looks up at him and Bucky grips his jaw. 

“That’s a shattered knee you’re feeling, _Crossbones_ ” He sneers, “It’s going to heal, but it will never be the same again” he chuckles, “You are never stepping a foot inside the Pit again” 

“You _fucking_ \- You are going to pay- Next time-“

“There will be no next time” Bucky tisks, leaning closer to him, “I’m getting out of here” he says lowly, “And you are spending the rest of your life in the Barracks” 

He headbutts him. But Bucky doesn’t stop there punching him again. And again, not caring his knuckles are bleeding, or that Rumlow doesn’t seen to be all conscious.

“Enough” Zola says, “I said enough!” 

He stops when his elbow connects to Zola’s face and the man shrieks, taking several steps back before falling, covering his face as he yells for Stick. Bucky turns, and Stick is kneeling next to Zola. 

“You fucking animals! All of you!” Zola yells.

The doors open and two other fighters enter followed by the Bald Man, who seem more interested in Rumlow, now laying on the floor, than helping his Master. Bucky takes a sharp intake of breath when Zola points at him and the two fighters are on him in two long strides. He doesn’t fight them, he doesn’t need it anymore. So when the first blow comes, he lets himself fall to his knees and when the second comes, his cheek connects to the mat. The voices become distant and his eyes unfocused, but he can’t help the small twitch of his lips when he sees Zola’s bloody nose.

“Lock him in his room!” He yells, “He’ll stay there until he learns!”

And then he’s been lift up his knees. A hand shoots out to grip his nape and he’s face to face with Stick.

“Ah” Stick says, “You don’t feel angry anymore”

Because he isn’t. Anger felt like the last link of the chain holding him prisoner in Arcadia, and he wasn’t going to let it consume him. Time had ran out for him, but now he could leave without looking back, now he could look for freedom with no burden over his head.


	16. Window Pain

_There’s no way out._

_Bucky looks around and finds blue eyes, much like his own, looking back at him. wide as plates and scared. It’s dark, and he can barely see, the only thing he can hear is the waves crashing into the shore outside, rocking the wooden floor they are standing on. He knows they can’t both leave._

_“They are there!”_

_“Bucky”_

_His hand shoots out to reach him, it’s cold and wet, the fingers circling around his wrist are long, white and grip him tightly. When he looks at him, he licks his lips, tasting the salted water that is dripping from his hair. He can’t let anything happen to him, he always promised to keep him save._

_“You go” His voice strained, “You go first”_

_If he jumps, he can make it._

_“No!” He resists, “It’s you and me! Always! You and-“_

_The wood breaks under him and he’s falling, too fast to catch his breath before he’s underwater. He kicks until his head hits the surface._

_“Hold my hand!”_

_He can’t, the hand trying to reach him it’s just too far._

_“You have to go!”_

_And then._

_“They can’t catch both of us”_

_“No!” It’s the answer, “It’s you and me! Until the end of the line!”_

_He knows it, he knows him, and when he looks up at him Steve fades up like smoke in front of his eyes._

Bucky wakes up before he can see his face clearly.

Before he can memorize anything other than the blue eyes and his name. Even his voice is fading, but his words remain burned in the back of Bucky’s pounding head. 

_Until the end of the line._

His eyes flutter open, and the light of the lamp beside his bed makes him cover them, throwing his arm over his face as he tries standing from the bed. A hand on his shoulder stops him and he lifts his gaze to find the Bald Man standing next to his bed. With a glare Bucky slaps his hand away. The man flinches and gives a step back, muttering a few apologies. He remembers then the night before, Rumlow and Zola, and Stick. The men dragging them to his room and knocking him unconscious at Zola’s orders. He looks at the Bald Man, and he smiles at him, like he knows something. When he realises there’s a cart of food next to the bed he wrinkles his nose, and glances around the room.

“I have brought you dinner, sir” 

“Dinner?” Bucky tenses, “What time is it?”

He jumps from the bed.

Haze. Jane. Coulson. The auction.

His mind running a hundred miles an hour as he searches for clothes and shoes, he had a plan and he had probably already missed his window. The Bald Man observes him in silence, and when Bucky is already dressed he turns to him he chuckles, walking slowly towards the door.

“I’m afraid you can’t leave”

Bucky turns to him.

“Master Zola left clear instructions-“

Bucky is over there in two strides and grips his shirt, slamming him against the wall. Before he can open his mouth, the door opens. Bucky recognizes the sound Stick’s cane makes as the walks inside the room, the wood against the carpet underneath them, and he turns to the older man. The Bald Man’s mouth twitches, maybe one of his smirks or a grimace, he doesn’t care, but he doesn’t let him go instead tightening his grip. Stick puts a hand on Bucky’s wrist. 

“I’m afraid” Stick says, “Caliban” the Bald Man tenses, “That with Zola outside of his tower, _I_ am in charge”

“Caliban?” Bucky frowns, looking at the bald man. 

“But- but, Master said-“

The older man glares at him. Caliban bites his lips and grimaces. And before he turns to Bucky, Stick punches him in the side of the head, and his body goes limp in Bucky’s grip. Bucky gives a few steps back and the body falls to the floor. He scowls when he sees the blood running on the side of the man’s temple. 

“What the-“

He turns to Stick and the old man rises his chin, when Bucky looks behind him, towards the glass gabinet where the gun is hidden he swallows audibly. He couldn’t… Fight Stick, he would kill him. 

“What are you waiting for, then?” Stick looks at him, “Go”

“I-“ Bucky swallows, “I won’t coming back tomorrow morning”

“Good”

It’s the closest thing to a goodbye. And Bucky reaches for the box in the cabinet, before he throws one last look at Stick. And then he leaves the room, not walking until the door closes behind him.

He zips up his leather jacket and throws the hoodie over his head, reaching for the gun out of the box. Bucky takes a deep breath as he feels the weight in his hand, he grips the cold metal and puts it in his front pocket, throwing the box no caring where it ends up, before entering the elevator. His fingers are shaking, he’s nervous, but he maintains his calm stance since there’s another man on the elevator. Drax is another fighter, The Destroyer, he’s a “fan favorite” but hadn’t spent a lot of time in the Pit. Bucky saw him fighting in the Underground once, where he had won a fair fight.

“Going to the Slums?”

He glances at the man and nods.

“I heard about Rumlow”

Bucky tenses, “Yeah” he swallows.

“He had it coming” Drax’s lips quirk, “An injury like that…”

The elevator stops and the door open. He lets Drax leave first, and the man gives him a two finger salute before leaving the building. He’s probably going to the Slums to fight, since he was new in Zola’s Tower, he wouldn’t be paid a lot, and Underground was very popular. Bucky braces himself from the cold of the night, and starts walking towards the walls that divided the Highgrounds form the Slums. He couldn’t use the transportation, it would be faster, but Zola could have put an alert on him.

The Slums are twenty eight minutes away on foot, Bucky is sweating when he finally crosses the walls and makes his way to The Sticky Horse one last time. The streets are packed, it was the main reason why Coulson had told him to wait until the end of the month to leave, with so many people it would be hard to recognize him if someone was looking for him. Daisy is waiting for him outside of the door, her face lights up in a way that makes Bucky forget that someone could be following him and remember how much he will miss her. They weren’t the kind of people that hugged, so he simply offers her a nod that she returns. Daisy follows Bucky inside, the sea of people making it almost impossible to move as fast as Bucky wants. It was almost nine when he looks at the hour in one of the projections on the walls, on fight nights The Sticky Horse transmited the fights for those who couldn’t make it to the Underground fighting ring or simply couldn’t pay for it.

“Upstairs”

Bucky looks down at Daisy and frowns, “What?”

She rolls her eyes and grips his arm, pulling him towards the staircase a few meters from the bar. Bucky knew it was where Daisy and her parents lived, but he had never actually stepped a foot inside. Yes, Coulson was a friend, but Bucky hadn’t let himself get too involved in their personal lives, he couldn’t. As he climbs up the stairs he wonders if maybe he should have. They were the closest thing to family he had in Arcadia after all. There’s a single door at the end of the staircase, and Daisy pushes it, gesturing to enter, before entering behind him and closing the door.

“Nice” Bucky says. 

It’s three times his room, obviously, with a spacious living room a kitchen – where May is washing her hands on the sink, she smiles when she sees him – and a dining room. there’s two other doors that remain closed and Bucky asumes those are the rooms. A heavy hand grips his shoulder and Bucky turns to find Coulson, who simply nods at him.

“Ready?”

Bucky nods. Even if he wasn’t, he would have to leave that night. They move to the living room, where they sit and May joins them. After ten minutes of going over the plan a silence falls upon them.

“Show me” Coulson says after a few seconds.

Bucky raises an eyebrow.

“The gun, Bucky” Coulson chuckles.

He nods and pulls out the gun from his jacket, leaving it on the small wooden table infront of them. Daisy whistles, and before she can reach for it, Coulson picks it up. Bucky’s eyes shift between him and the gun in the man’s hand, as Coulson twist and turns it, like he’s looking for any defects. Bucky had told him about it but he had never been able to take it out of his room afraid it would get lost or stolen, or that Zola would catch him with it and send him to the Barracks.

“Well, shit” 

Bucky raises an eyebrow.

“When you said you thought it was valuable…” He trails off, “Who gave this to you?”

Bucky licks his lips, “Erskine”

“Pierce’s physician?” Daisy frowns, “Where would he get it?”

“I don’t know” Bucky shrugs, “He gave it to me before…”

Abraham Erskine had been appointed Alexander Pierce’s personal physician and he had worked for him for over twenty years. They weren’t friends – Erskine had left that clear – but Pierce respected him and Erskine had ended up been part of his entourage. The reason he ended up being a scout was because Erskine knew how to recognise a strong man, a good fighter that could give Pierce all the wins he wanted. There were rumours that Erskine had been killed after one of Pierce’s wives had lost a child and he blame the doctor for negligence. Bucky believed it, Erskine had given him two gifts a few days prior his dead, like he knew it would happen. And knowing Pierce’s revengeful nature it wouldn’t be surprising.

“It’s a 45 Long Colt Revolver” Coulson continues, “with an 8" barrel and in perfect condition” 

A clinging sound makes Bucky snap out of his thoughts. A small gold piece lays in the middle of the table, and Coulson reaches for it before either him or Daisy can.

“A single bullet inside"

“So it works?” Bucky asks.

Coulson raises an eyebrow, “Damn right it does”

“The auction is at midnight” May announces.

There’s a few seconds of silence before they all move. May goes to one of the rooms, Daisy picks up her coat from the couch next to them, and Coulson puts the small bullet inside the cylinder, while Bucky simply stands in the middle of the room. Coulson nudges his shoulder and Bucky turns to him. He has the gun in one hand and a watch in another.

“One thrity in the morning” Coulson reminds him, “The outside of the walls, Daisy can take you but-“

“Thank you” Bucky nods, he grabs the watch and put it around his wrist.

May comes back with a bag.

“It’s enough for a few days, once you are outside…” May shrugs, “You’ll get what you need” 

Bucky had never asked them if they had ever been outside the walls, but Daisy always reminded him that Arcadia was their home, and they wouldn’t have it any other way. May puts hand on his shoulder and looks at him, cupping his face, she smiles before she leans in for hug and Bucky wraps his arms around her almost immediately. When she pulls she tells Coulson that she’s going to the bar and with that she leaves. 

“Card” Daisy says. 

He reaches inside his jacket and pulls out his card, giving it to Daisy. She has a machine in her hands, similar to the ones they use in the establishments to charge the credits to the cards but, Bucky was very sure it was, ilegal for her to own. Coulson had told him that he could use his credits in other colonies once he reached them, but he had to delete his identity for him not to be tracked. Daisy returns him the card and then reaches for a second one inside her pocket.

“This one is for your friend” Daisy says, before he can reach for it she puts it back in her pocket, “I’ll keep it safe” 

“Alright” Bucky nods.

“I’ll meet you outside of Haze in an hour”

“Alright” Bucky repeats. 

With that she leaves. Coulson follows her with his eyes, and when the door closes he turns to Bucky. He still has the gun in his hand, and he stares at it for a few seconds before putting it in Bucky’s hand.

“It’s enough for two” He nods. 

Bucky swallows.

“Are you sure you want to go get her first?” Coulson asks, “You could leave now, it’s less dang-“ 

“I promised her” Bucky looks at the gun in his hand, “She has a family… Just like with Daisy” he looks at Coulson, “Except they aren’t inside this walls”

Coulson nods and stares at him for a few seconds, his lips then quirk upwards and he chuckles softly.

“You always had that superhero complex going on”

“Superheroes don’t exist” Bucky says, “Only good people who do good things”

When he looks at Coulson the man is smiling softly.

“I’m glad you can finally see it, Bucky”

Bucky swallows and nods.

 

* * *

 

 

Haze is even more crowded than the Sticky Horse. Bucky sits on the bar looking at the dance floor, the endless sea of people, bodies intertwining and grinding against each other, tapping his fingers against the wooden bar as he follows Rosebud with his eyes. It had been twenty minutes since he arrived and it was fifteen to ten, Redskull and his entourage had been drinking heavily for a few hours now and Rosebud had done nothing more than glance at him and wink when she saw him. He knew that she remembered what they had talked, but she seemed to be waiting for something.

A few more minutes pass and Redskull stands from his chair, barely being able to hold himself up until Rosebud hugs the man’s waist for support, waving at anyone else who tried to follow them. Bucky’s eyes remain on the two until Rosebud gestures him to follow them. It takes Bucky a few seconds to do so, not wanting anyone else to notice the interaction. No one did, everyone just too caught up in their own business or too drunk to pay attention. Redskull, like Coulson and many other business owners, lived in a floor above the establishment. As he climbs up the stairs, he wonders how could someone sleep with the music pounding across the thin walls, but when he finally reaches the door at the end, enters and closes behind him, he realises it’s soundproof.

Bucky gives a few slow steps inside the room and freezes when he hears a giggle.

“Oh, no, no, no, siree” Rosebud says, “No fun today, you can barely stand!”

He leans in behind a wall and sees Rosebud slapping Redskull’s hand away, before helping him lay on the bed.

“But I can still get it to stand!” Redskull says with a laugh.

“Master, you need to rest” She insists, and kisses him softly on the lips before he can protest, “Yes?”

She rubs her hands on the man’s chest and he puts his hand over hers. The man yawns and rubs his eyes with the heel of his hand.

“Yeah, yeah, I guess you’re right” He finally says.

“Women know best” Rosebud winks.

Redskull lets out a deep chuckle and then collapses on the bed. The younger woman takes the man’s shoes off, leaving them under the bed, and then proceeds to unbutton his shirt. Bucky leans back on the wall and gives them some privacy. The way Rosebud treated Redskull seemed to be… Respectful, and viceversa, unlike other Masters he had seen. Perhaps, that’s why Rosebud and other Hysteria girls never escaped their Masters, or Arcadia.

Bucky waits a few seconds, and then looks at the watch around his wrist.

“Sugar”

He turns.

“There you are” Rosebud chuckles, “I thought you had left”

“I need the card” He says hurriedly, “Do you-“

Rosebud rolls her eyes and flashes him a card similar to his own ID Card, except it was completely white, with no name or black bar. He reaches for it and Rosebud moves it out of his reach, his jaw clenches and he glares at her. She chuckles, and looks at him from his toe to his head and then back down again, wrinkling her nose displeased for some reason.

“What?”

“Are you aware is a black tie event, handsome?”

He scowls, “Okay?”

Rosebud raises an eyebrow, “You are wearing jeans and a smelly shirt, and those shoes are covered in mud”

Bucky looks at his feet.

“Let me see what I can do”

Rosebud sighs dramatically and steps away from him, he follows her with his eyes towards the closet, where she opens the door and stands infront of for a few seconds with pursed lips and tapping her foot on the wooden floor. She smirks widely and then reaches inside, pulling out a black suit, and then crouches to pick a pair of shinny shoes.

“You can use this, handsome, my Master won’t miss it“

“I don’t have time for-“ 

“Well, you are not going to be let in looking like you’ve spent the day in the Pit” She raises an eyebrow.

Bucky’s jaw works his teeth together, his hands clenched in fists. Rosebud is right, and even if Bucky didn’t know how the event was, she knew more about it than him. He nods tightly and gives two strides towards her, before unzipping his jacket and leaving it on the chair infront of the dresser. Rosebud leaves the suit hanging on the closet and pushes a door a few feet from him.

“And take a bath first” 

“Fuck no”

But she turns on the shower. He sighs heavily and looks at the watch again. Daisy would be waiting for him outside with the transportation in twenty two minutes. He undresses quickly and enters the bathroom, where Rosebud was, sitting on a small chair examining her nails as if they were the most interesting thing for her. Bucky presses his lips and enters the shower.

“So where did you meet Jane”

He tenses but then continues washing his hair quickly.

“She said she was from Glassmere, you said she said she was from Glassmere” Rosebud pushes, “But you are from here, so that would mean-“

“Pierce… gave her to me as a gift for my hundredth win” Bucky cuts her off annoyed.

“I see” She chuckles, “So she fucked you in exchange for-“

“No” Bucky glares at her, turning the water off, “We didn’t fuck”

He steps out of the shower and reaches for a towel, drying himself almost furiously, not caring for Rosebud’s eyes on him. She purses her lips and leaves the bathroom, he follows, wanting to dress as fast as he could to leave. Daisy was waiting for him, she wouldn’t leave. It was Jane who couldn’t stay inside that house for too long, and she was waiting for Bucky too.


	17. Jewelled Crown

Esther had woken Jane up when it was almost nine, after she made her take a nap that afternoon. She didn’t even remember going to bed the night before, and the day had been a haze. After the “number” Jane pulled on the older woman, she had been left alone for the rest of the day, no lunch and diner had been cold soup. Jane couldn’t help but think it was Esther’s punishment for her at first, but later the woman said that she couldn’t have solid food before the auction. She could look “bloated”, the older woman said as an explanation, and Jane didn’t feel like arguing with her so she kept her gaze on the floor and her mouth shut while she was waxed and bathed.

Jane wasn’t like that. she realised while Esther put make up on her face. In Glassmere, she had always been outspoken, never afraid to raise her voice when it came to defend herself or as ask question. She was respectful and respected, not because of who her father was, but because she had earned it. Jane had never been spoiled despite being privilege, never looked down at someone and was never looked down upon. But Arcadia had somehow make her feel broken, it was a whole new world inside the walls, specially if you were alone like she was. Esther extends her arm and starts clipping her nails. There’s a knock on the door and Jane turns when the older woman says it’s open, and two young women enter the room with their head down. Jane doesn’t remember them from Hysteria so they must be Madame Aida’s personal maids, not available for selling. The Doves were called Flowers inside the House and her personal maids were called Diamonds. For a moment, despite the girls quiet, submissive demeanour, and the fact that they too belonged to Madame Aida, she envied them. 

“Mother” One of the girls say.

“Yes, Ambar” 

“Madame Aida wishes you to know that the guests are arriving”

Esther gasps and looks at them, “What time is it?”

“Ten fifteen, Mother” 

The older woman sighs heavily and orders one of the girls to leave with her, and the other one to stay with Jane and help her dress. Jane keeps her gaze on the floor until she hears the door close behind the two women, and then looks up at the one who was left. She didn’t look at Jane while she accommodated her shoes and then her dress on the bed, until Jane cleared her throat.

“What’s your name?” 

The woman looks at her, “Ruby” 

“I’m… Tulip”

Ruby smiles, “Are you nervous about the ceremony?”

Jane swallows and nods, “Of course” she answers, “very”

“Don’t worry about it” Ruby says.

“Are you from Hysteria too?”

The woman walks towards her with the dress in her hands, “No”

Jane nods slowly. Ruby tells her to put the dress on, sliding it up from her feet instead of putting it over her head. It’s a pearl white dress that looked much like the others she had wore – if she thought about it she hadn’t been given a white one before – it’s sequinned and when Ruby zips it up, Jane is too afraid to take a deep breath, feeling constrained by it but she doesn’t say anything. Ruby kneels to put the silver shoes on her and Jane wonders if they actually think of it as marriage. Once she’s zipped and tied, Ruby tells her to look at herself in the mirror.

She does. But just for a fraction of second.

“You look beautiful, Tulip”

Jane grimaces but Ruby is too busy combing her hair to notice. The woman puts her hair in a half-up braided crown and then takes a few steps back and smiles at Jane, like she’s pleased with her job. 

“Are you going to be auctioned too?” Jane asks.

“No” Ruby chuckles, “I’m a diamond”

Jane tilts her head confused. 

“Madame Aida gives away flowers” She explains, “And keep the diamonds for herself”

It made sense. In a twisted kind of way. Ruby then takes her hand and tells Jane she is suppose to take her to the ceremony room before they can join the party. More nonsensical bullshit, Jane thinks, it’s like everyone in the house had been brainwashed by Aida, repeating the same things over and over but using different words. She thinks about voicing it, but it seems advised, specially when she sees the prod similar to Esther’s that Ruby was carrying, and remembers there is no way out of the house. So she follows. Hoping that Bucky does find a way in.

 

* * *

 

 

The suit is a perfect fit. Well, that’s what Rosebud tells him. When he looks at himself in the mirror he scowls at his reflection, but sees Rosebud smiling widely at it. The tie is choking him and the shoes are a tad too small, his hair feels heavy with the grease she had combed it with, and Bucky grimaces because he looks like one of Pierce’s associates but, well, that was the idea. He reaches for his jacket and finds the gun still inside, he puts it in one of the inner pockets of the suit jacket and then puts his ID card on the pants pocket. Two hands grip his shoulder then, and Rosebud chuckles when he tenses, squeezing slightly before leaning into his ear. Bucky raises an eyebrow at her.

“You look great, relax” She smiles against his ear, “And do me a favour, handsome?”

Rosebud slides the white card over his shoulder and he takes it from her. 

“Have some fun while you’re there”

Bucky saves the card and turns to her, “I can’t promise I will” 

He buttons the suit and looks at her. Rosebud sits on the chair with crossed legs, and she winks at him when he does.

“Thank you” 

She shurgs, “What can I say, I’m a fool for a pretty face”

Bucky’s lips quirk upwards and with that he leaves.

He makes it downstairs without being noticed, wondering why is there no security for Redskull in his own home, but then he sees a large man narrowing his eyes at him, Rosebud had talked to him before she and Redskull left to their room, and he realises it was their bodyguard but she had told him not to bother them. He swallows, taking his hand to his side, where the gun rested, and makes his way into the crowd to lose himself from the man’s sight and leaving Haze. As planned, Daisy was outside, but when they see each other both look surprised.

“Where did you get a car?”

“Where did you get a suit?” Daisy shots back, “And did you brush your hair?” 

Bucky rolls his eyes and makes his way to the car she was leaning on. When he opens the door he tenses and gives a step back, glancing at Daisy. Since he had looked at the car behind her first, he hadn’t noticed she was wearing a suit too, but it looked more like the one Aida’s driver, Skaar, wore. Skaar who was laying on the back of the car, unconscious and in his underwear, tied up in the wrists and ankles. He turns to Daisy with a raised eyebrow.

“Saw him at the bar” She shrugs, “He normally drives Aida around so I knew he had a car” 

“Did you-“

Daisy claps his shoulder, “Yes, I did”

He gives her an impressed look and closes the door, entering the passenger seat instead. Daisy enters the driver’s seat and turns on the engine.

“Shouldn’t we put him in the trunk?” Bucky asks. 

Daisy glances at the unconscious man, “Nah”

 

* * *

 

They make it to the HighGrounds in less than ten minutes, Daisy drives like she’s angry, and she finds the house with no problem. When she turns the engine off they stay in the car for a few seconds in silence, looking at the line of cars and the people dressed similarly to Bucky entering the House. Madame Aida’s mansion is… Huge. And Bucky can’t help but wonder how many people could live there, but knowing only Aida and her girls did. He tenses when he sees Alexander Pierce himself climb out of a car that had just parked near the entrance, and shake hands with a few men. Bucky chuckles when he sees Zola and the garish purple bruise in his face. 

When Daisy rolls down the window just slightly, they can hear the loud music coming from the house and the murmurs and laughs of the people arriving.

It looked more like a party than a place where they sold women.

“Life is a comedy for the rich and a tragedy for the poor”

“Damn right” Daisy chuckles.

Bucky turns to her, “Are you waiting here?”

Daisy nods, “Just gotta get rid of this asshole” 

They glance at Skaar. He wants to ask how exactly did Daisy managed to knock him out, but she would insist on a demonstration and he wouldn’t want to go inside the house looking as stupid as Zola did. With one last glance at Skaar, he tells Daisy to be around at midnight and she nods before he leaves the car. No one pays attention to him, and he walks at a fast pace to the mansion, hooking his finger under the collar of the shirt feeling it a bit too tight. When Bucky reaches the entrance a man asks to see his white card. He reaches for it and gives it to him, taking a deep breath in.

“Madame Aida welcomes you to her House, sir” The man says after a few seconds.

“Yeah, okay” 

The man blinks a few times before he forces a smile and tells Bucky to go inside. He keeps the white card, leaving it in a small box where there are a few more. Inside, the house is not very full, it is after a private event, and he notices the only women that are there are dressed in white. Clipped Doves. And Jane must be one of them. He scans the room for her face, but there’s a dim light and the music is too loud for him to focus, he’s about to turns when a man appears infront of him with a tray in his hands.

“Scotch?”

Bucky scowls, “Excus-“

“A glass of Scotch” The man looks at the tray pointedly.

There are three glasses on it, with ice and a amber liquid that looked familiar to him. Bucky reaches for one and takes it hesitantly, the man simply nods and leaves. It’s not like bourdon, but it’s similar, with a smokiness that lingers in his tongue for a few seconds after he had swallowed it all. He looks at the ice cubes inside for a few seconds before he hears a familiar voice.

“Well, well”

He tenses.

“Legionary”

Bucky turns to find the Mother standing behind him. She raises an eyebrow at him and he licks his lips. 

“I imagine you are here to observe?” She says, taking the glass from his hand, “And free drinks”

“You know what I’m here for” He sneers.

She chuckles, “You think you are going to outbid any of these men?”

Bucky grits his jaw, “Have you seen Jane?”

“I’ve seen Tulip around if that’s who-“

He doesn’t let her finish, gripping her arm and looking around for no one to see them. The Mother presses her lips and lets him drag her to an isolated part of the room, where the music is not so loud but it still makes the wall vibrate. The older woman slaps his hand away and glares.

“Where is she?”

“The ceremony has been completed” The Mother answers, “She’s no longer-“

“I don’t give a fuck about that” Bucky cuts her off, “Where is she?”

The woman lifts her chin, “I trained that girl for three months for this” she says, “She is going to be given to-“

Bucky grips her shoulders and slams her against the wall behind her. The older woman lets out a whine and his grip eases for a split of second before he makes her look at him. She’s scared, all pretence of authority drained from her face as it turns into a grimace of pain and wide shocked eyes. He glances at his watch and realises it’s almost midnight, if Jane isn’t in the party with the others, she would be in a few minutes.

“Where. Is. Jane?”

“She’s- she’s in the ceremony room, it’s the third door to the left” The woman stammers, “But- but the procedure is completed-“

Bucky slams her against the wall before letting her go, “I said I don’t care” 

And with that he leaves. He avoids a few waiters before finding the staircase the Mother was talking about and climbing a quick as he can, running towards the third at his left. When he find it locked he slams his shoulder against the door a few times.

“What are you doing?”

He turns. A woman looks at him with a frown.

“I need-“

“The doors are locked for the guests, sir” She says, “I-“

Bucky’s nostrils flare, “There’s a woman called Tulip here”

“Yes” Her eyes narrow, “But she’s-“ she stops herself and stares at him for a few seconds before reaching inside her dress for a black card, “Here”

Bucky frowns but gives a step back as the woman opens the door for him. She throws a glance around before her eyes fall on him, and she smiles softly.

“Flowers are not treated as nicely as us” She says as an explanation, “I’m Emerald, by the way”

Bucky nods, “Thank you”

She nods, “Use the kitchen door when you leave”

And then she leaves. Bucky takes a deep breath and enters the room, leaving it slightly ajar when he realises it closes from the inside. When he turns Jane is standing in the other side of the room frozen in place, looking at him with wide eyes. He takes a deep breath and a few steps froward before she walks towards him at a faster pace and throws her arms around his neck in a tight hug. When she pulls back she puts both hands on each side of his face.

“Are you alright?”

Bucky frowns, “Am I alright?” he says, “You are the one who was-“

“I thought you had been punished” Jane says, scanning his face as if for bruises, “Taken to the barracks or- or worse, maybe-“

“I’m fine” Bucky shakes his head, “And I promised I would get you out of here”

Jane’s eyes soften and she nods, “I know” 

Bucky’s lips curve upwards. He grabs Jane’s hands and moves them away from his face. He glances then at the wrist watch and licks his lips. 

“We need to lea-”

“You son of a bitch”

Jane grips his hand and he turns to the entrance of the room where Skaar had entered, closing the door behind him. He was dressed in servant clothes but not the suit Daisy had taken from him, and he looked absolutely pissed, sneering and growling like an animal as he walked towards them, cracking his knuckles as he did. Jane grits her jaw and is about to move – what could she possibly do? – when Bucky grips her wrist and makes them take a step back.

“I don’t want to fight you”

Skaar grips his jacket and Bucky’s hand shoots out to hold his wrist. Actually, he did want to fight him, they just didn’t have time for it, they had to be in the outside walls of the colony in an hour and a half and he didn’t know how long it would take to get there, not even with Daisy’s driving. He’s thrown to the other side of the room before he can make a case, not that he thought he could – Skaar didn’t seem like a rational man – and Skaar pushes Jane away from him when she moves, giving three strides towards him. 

He picks Bucky up and punches him in the jaw. Surprisingly, it doesn’t really hurt. He picks him up again and Bucky chuckles, Skaar growls and before Bucky can return the blow he hears a crash and the grip around his neck weakens, before Skaar falls on his knees and then to the floor unconcious. Jane pants heavily, looking at the man and then at him. there’s glass shattered on the floor and the rest of a lamp on Jane’s hand.

“Nice” Bucky says dumbly. 

“Do you think he’s dead?” Jane asks, eyes wide, “I didn’t hit him that hard”

Bucky chuckles and takes the rest of the lamp from her hand throwing it aside the room. Jane throws her arms around his neck then, and then pulls back to look at him. He then turns Skaar and reaches for his card keys on his front pocket, grabs Jane’s wrist and leave the room in a hirry. They make it downstairs without being noticed and when they reach the living room full of people Bucky stops her, making her stand against a wall and hushing her. He can hear her panting next to him despite the loud music and he turns to her she’s kicking the high silver shoes off her feet. He scans the room behind her and realises the kitchen is a few feet from them. He grabs Jane’s wrist again and pulls her towards him, gesturing the back door.

“We run?” Jane whispers.

“We run”

“Where are we going?”

“Outside”

Jane doesn’t ask anything else, she is just holding his hand tightly and following him towards the exit doors.


	18. On Our Way

A white long car is waiting for them outside. From the locked window in Jane’s room, she had seen people arriving in them for the party, before she had been taken to the “ceremony” room. Jane stops frozen and squeezes Bucky’s hand tightly. She can still hear the music coming from the party, her naked feet throbbed, wet and muddy from running across the garden behind the mansion. Bucky pulls from her arm but she turns, glancing at the house behind them to make sure they hadn’t been followed. It’s too dark for someone to see them if they had been followed, but she still can shake the feeling that they could be caught, the blood pumping through her veins with the rush of adrenaline making her heart beat violently against her chest.

Bucky doesn’t look back like she did, instead he tugs from her arm again and starts walking towards the car a few feet from them. Jane is about to ask him who is it or if he was planning on stealing it, when the window is rolls down and she sees the woman from the bar, Daisy, gesturing them to get in.

“Let’s go” Bucky says walking at a fast pace.

He opens the door and gestures her to enter, Jane slides on the seat followed by Bucky, and before he can close the doors, Daisy steps on the accelerator. She takes a few breaths in and then looks back at the house again, noticing it gets smaller and smaller, until Daisy takes a turn and it disappears completely. She can feel a cold sweat on her forehead, making the thin satin dress stick to her body uncomfortably.

“Jane” Bucky calls, “Jane, give me my hand back” 

Jane turns to him and glances between them, where she had been gripping his wrist tightly. She lets go, whispering an apology and Bucky stares at her for a few seconds before he accommodates on his seat.

“How long until the walls, Daisy?” Bucky asks.

Daisy hums, “About an hour”

Jane lets a shaky breath out, it was still too far, and Bucky looks at her again before glancing back at Daisy.

“Where did you get this car?” He asks. 

“Outside” it’s a vague answer but Bucky doesn’t seem to mind, “And check this out, someone left an iPod here”

Daisy shows them a small square device, but when she’s about to ask her if she’s keeping it, she feels Bucky taking her arm, when she turns to him his brow is furrowed as he stares for a few seconds at the spot a few inches below her shoulder, where Madame Aida’s physician has injected her with something. They didn’t tells her what it was, but they said it could make her feel sick or dizzy for a few minutes and it was the reason why she had been taken into her room afterwards, instead of the party she could hear going on downstairs. She notices Bucky’s jaw working his teeth before he lets her go.

“I’m sorry”

Jane looks up at Bucky and frowns. He looks troubled, like he had done something wrong. 

“It’s okay” 

Bucky doesn’t seem to hear, and she realises her voice sounded like a whisper, there’s bile raising to her throat, and she swallows saliva a few times. They hadn’t given her much to eat, and her stomach growled as it flipped violently. She opens her mouth to speak but Daisy is talking then. 

“There’s clothes if you want to take off that penguin suit” She says, glancing at them through the rear-view mirror, “For her too”

Bucky moves and reaches underneath the seat, pulling out a black bag. When he opens it, there’s clothes inside and Jane looks at him as he starts unbuttoning the jacket off, she frowns because she hadn’t even noticed he had been wearing a very expensive looking suit and his hair was slicked back. Where did he get that anyways, she hadn’t even asked how did he get inside the house. The jacket falls on the car’s carpeted floor with a thud but she ignores it, reaching inside the bag for clothes that could fit her. If it was Daisy’s she could easily find something since they seemed to be the same size. 

She glances at Bucky who is already shirtless and looks away, feeling herself blush like other times she had seen him and feel him close to her, except this time Jane’s head feels light and her sight begins to blur. She reaches for him and he turns.

“Hey, hey, Jane”

Jane shuts her eyes tight as she feels Bucky cup her face. She puts a hand over his and tries to swallow the strange taste in her mouth, Bucky’s voice sounds muffled and when she opens her eyes his face is a blur over hers. The car stops suddenly and after a few seconds the door behind her opens and Bucky starts talking again, this time his voice becomes clearer.

“…me?” Bucky says, “Jane, are you listening to me?”

Daisy is behind her, “Did they-“ 

“ _Yes_ ” Bucky cuts Daisy off.

Jane tries telling them she is fine, moving Bucky’s hand away.

“Let her go, she is going to-“

Before Daisy can finish the sentence Jane is proving she’s right. Turning her head on time and vomiting outside the car, next to Daisy’s feet. She tries apologizing but the foul taste is her mouth makes her gag again instead, Daisy is telling her it’s alright though, so Jane nods and spits a few more times, before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and glancing upwards, where Daisy is standing with a wrinkled nose and her hair on one hand. The woman forces a smile and offers her a thumbs up before she reaches for something on the roof of the car. Bucky curses behind her before his warmth is gone and opens the other door, exiting the car. Jane looks at Daisy, who is offering her a cold bottle of water.

“You are alright” Daisy tells her, “It’s normal” 

“The… the injection” Jane takes the bottle, “They-“ 

“I know” The woman nods, “Drink some”

Jane nods and takes a sip, “Thank you” 

Bucky stands behind Daisy with arms crossed against his chest. The shirt and the jacket half open and he isn’t wearing any shoes. Jane glances around and realises they are still in the HighGrounds, some alley a few streets from Aida’s house, which meant they were still in danger of getting caught, but when she looks at Daisy to tell her they should continue the woman simply puts a hand on her shoulder.

“Why don’t you change?” Daisy tells her, “There’s clothes for you inside the bag”

Jane nods glancing at Bucky, who simply turns and walks away, “Yeah, alright” 

"Listen, Jane"

She lifts her gaze. Daisy looks at Bucky, who was a few feet away from them, and then crouches infront of Jane. Jane knows it had something to do with the marking in her arm, where the skin felt like it was burning still.

"I was... Aida's girl too once" Daisy says, and Jane nods because she knew it already, "They did the same to me"

"The injection" Jane swallows, "It wasn't just... It's not a vaccine"

Daisy looks at her apologetically, her eyebrows knitting together as she explains what had happened to her once, and what they have done to Jane now. For some reason, Jane can't feel angry about it, she's safe now, and alive. But she can't help to think Bucky felt guilty about it when she looks at him, and the man still can't bring himself to turn to her.

Daisy reaches then for Bucky’s clothes inside the bag and offers her a small smile, before she closes the door and walks towards the man. Jane looks at them for a few seconds, before she takes another sip of water and then puts the cap on, leaving it aside so she could look for the clothes for her inside the bag.

 

* * *

 

 

When Daisy closes the door for Jane, Bucky stares in her direction for a few seconds before looking away, running a hand through his face and hair. He had seen the small mark on Jane’s arm where the syringe had sunk, barely there but still, he takes a deep breath and sees Daisy rolls her eyes. Bucky looks at her and then at his naked feet, the cold pavement under him was cold as the night, and it was wet as if it had rained. Daisy leaves folded clothes on the roof of the car and starts walking away to give him privacy to change. Daisy knew what had happened already, having gone through it herself when Bucky had also been been too late to save her. 

"I was too late" Bucky says quietly.

The words leave his mouth without him intending to. It’s quiet, and the silence stretches for a few seconds until he looks up at Daisy and she turns to him slowly. She seems to think what to say, and Bucky knows her well enough to know that what she tells him is the way she sees the situation. 

Daisy shakes her head, "She will understand" she says, "I did" 

Bucky offers a nod and she smiles softly at him before she turns her back at him again. He wants to ask her to go with them, he could work something out with man who would take him and Jane out of the limits of Arcadia, but he knows that Daisy would say no. She would tell him she needed to stay behind to protect the people from her city, like May and Coulson did. Bucky will never understand her attachment, just like she never understood his need to leave. He dresses quickly, the black jeans and shirt Daisy brought him fitting a bit loose but the jacket perfectly – He doesn’t know if to be weirded out by the fact the underwear too – and throws the suit aside, not caring where it ends up after securing his card on his front pocket and buckling the leather belt that was left aside.

“We gotta go” Daisy says, “Aida must know by now that she’s gone” 

Bucky looks at his watch. 12:04 a.m. 

“Let’s go” He says, climbing inside the car. 

When he closes the door behind him, Daisy accelerates, the tires making a shrieking sound against the pavement. He looks at Jane who is tying the laces of the boots Daisy had brought her, she glances at him and smiles softly before leaning back against the seat. Jane reaches for the bottle of water next to her and a small package, ripping it open with her teeth, it looked like a dry fruit bar he had seen Daisy chew on before and when he glances at Daisy she’s looking at Jane in the rear-view mirror.

“I have more if you’re still hungry afterwards”

Jane nods, “Thank you”

“Bucky?”

“’m fine” He says.

Daisy nods and looks back at the road. He accommodates on the seat and reaches inside the bag for his shoes and socks, ignoring Jane’s eyes on him. While he laces the boots, he glances at Jane, who is now chewing her third fruit bar while looking outside the window. He realises she had folded the suit jacket between and left them on the seat, when he reaches inside, he finds the gun and takes a deep breath putting it inside the black bag he was taking with him.

“I was explaining Jane where am I leaving you” Daisy says.

Bucky frowns, “Okay”

“There’s a limit outside the colony, a few miles before The Desolation” Daisy explains, “If this car leaves them, the engine automatically turns off”

The Desolation was everything outside the walls of each colony. The remains of the Old World partly covered in sand or snow, from fallen cities to small ghosts towns. Apart from the well known roads used by travellers to move from colony to colony, no one really dared to venture into The Desolation. Some said that there was still people living outside the colonies despite the conditions being too bad, but it wasn’t all explored, so Bucky wouldn’t be surprised if it was true. 

“How far will-“ 

“He’ll be about a mile away from where I drop you” Daisy licks her lips, “Shoes are comfortable enough for long walks” she winks.

Bucky looks at Jane who nods at him. 

“How long until we reach the limit?” 

“About forty minutes” Daisy chuckles, “Don’t worry”

“Someone could be-“

“Coulson has people everywhere, they sent me a radio alert if something happens” 

Bucky purses his lips and he hears Jane chuckle softly.

“Why don’t you get a nap?” Daisy says.

Before he can say anything else, she’s putting the iPod’s earphones on and pressing some buttons on the device. Daisy was an expert in technology, from the Old World and the New Wold, she liked to restore old ones and always knew where to get parts. When he realises she’s actually ignoring him he purses his lips and nods tightly, leaning back in the seat, rubbing his jeans with his hands anxiously. He hears Jane opening another bar with the corner of his eye and he turns to her. 

“Should you be eating those?” Jane looks taken aback so he clears his throat, “I mean, you looked sick” he adds, scratching the back of his head. 

Jane chuckles softly, “Daisy said that my stomach was empty when they…” she trails off.

When his eyes shift from Jane to Daisy she’s looking at them in the rear view mirror and she offers him Bucky a nod. Of course, Daisy had told Jane what they had put in her, or taken from her. Perhaps it was best that she told Jane, since she had gone through it already. 

Bucky swallows and licks his lips, “I… I’m sorry"

Jane looks at him, a small frown on her face, “For what?” she asks softly.

He licks his lips, “If I had-“

“No” her hand then reaches for him, “You came for me, Bucky”

He looks at Jane then. Honey brown eyes look at him with an intensity that makes him wonder if he wants to bury himself in them, like a moth attracted to the fire, or if he should look away. Her hand is warm over his and he would move it away if she wasn’t holding him tightly, like she knew he would.

“Right now you could be hours away from Arcadia but you came for me first” Jane says quietly, “and for that I will be forever grateful”

Bucky sees Daisy’s eyes shift before they settle on the road. And then he feels Jane invading his space, when her lips touch his cheek, a stand of hair tickles his nose and he inhales the smell of sweet vanilla emanating from her hair or from her skin, he isn’t sure but he doesn’t really care. When she pulls back she cups his face and then lets his hand go.

“So don’t think that is not enough” Jane says.

Bucky nods tightly, and Jane offers him a small smile. A few seconds pass and she talks again.

“Do you think Daisy is keeping the iPod?” 

“Huh?” 

He looks at Jane and she tilts her head, “Are you alright?”

It was the second time she had asked the question that night and he wasn’t sure how to answer. There was an unpleasent feeling in the pit of his stomach, he hadn’t told Daisy about Zola locking him in the tower they were probably looking for him by now, but on the other hand they might actually make it outside, Catalean was a few days away and Jane would take him there. It felt… Bittersweet in his mouth. Whatever it was he was tasting. Bucky then looks at Jane, but when he does he doesn’t feel like telling her. 

“I’m going to take a nap” He says instead.

Jane nods, “Sure”

“Get some rest too” 

Bucky accommodates on the seat and rubs his eyes with the heel of his hand. Next to him, Jane turns his back on him, taking her knees to her body and shrinking on the seat finding a comfortable position to sleep. When Bucky glances at Daisy, she rolls her eyes with a small quirk of the lips, and he grunts turning his back on her. When he looks outside the window again, they are arriving to the Barracks and he sighs deeply, tightening his jacket around himself.

The road was starting to feel too long.


	19. Gone

_“Will we ever live outside again?” Jane asks, “It feels… Immense” she continues, “As if one could become lost forever”_

_He looks at her, staring for a few seconds as if thinking of an answer that would satisfy her. Jane knows that there isn’t one, the wold outside is still too damaged. It is healing though, and she can tell by the way the horizon is no longer a tundra of cold ice in the south. During summer, she could see green spots in the distance if she only stared long enough._

_Her father sighs, and a smile tugs from each side of her lips, “If we ever do… We will look at the stars to find out way” He says._

_She looks at the sky and sees the stars are gone, it’s still dark but the dawn will be breaking soon. Jane turns to him._

_“Why should we look at the stars” Jane asks, “for something other than see how beautiful they are?”_

_Erik chuckles, he pulls her towards him in a warm embrace, kissing the top of her head before they both look at the horizon. The air was cold around them, it had been a snowy winter, but summer would arrive that morning and the skies were already clearer than they had been in weeks. She could see Ice Tower in the distance again and the town that was still sleeping, now that the snow had stopped falling._

_“Jane, nothing is never meant to not serve a purpose”_

_She looks at the old man, “No even the stars?”_

_“Specially the stars” Her father nods, “You see, they can show you the way to every corner of the New World”_

_“Like a compass”_

_“Like a compass”_

_Like the compass he would give her that morning after breakfast. When Julia tells her that she’s sixteen, and not a child anymore. She would remind her that she had blossomed into a beautiful woman, just like her mother was, and that in the ugly world they were living, precious things must be protected. Safe and sound in a glass box._

_“So nothing is never just beautiful” Jane smiles, “Not even this world”_

_She leans into her father’s embrace, the familiar smell of tobacco and coffee on his suit. He hadn’t slept that night, waiting to wake her up and wish her happy birthday before anyone else. Jane looks up at him, and sees the first rays of sun reflect into his pupils, and then turns to see it for herself. Everything the sun touched scared her still._

_“The world, Jane, is never beautiful or ugly” He says, “It’s always both”_

_Jane looks at him and a smile splits his face. Her father is old, he had seen the world change more than it already had, his hands had drawn it so many times already, the wrinkles around his eyes and on each corner of his mouth were deeper than a winter ago, and that was as good as it was bad._

_Wake up._  

Wake up.

Wake up, Jane. 

“Jane”

Her eyes flutter open.

Jane tries focusing her eyes but it’s too dark to see. The car had stopped and she hadn’t even realise. Bucky calls her name once again and she hears the car’s door open a close. When Bucky turns the roof light on, she covers her eyes and he shakes her shoulder softly calling her name again, it sounds nice in her ears, soft yet rough, like he had been sleeping too. Jane rubs her eyes with the heel of her hand, trying to grow used to the brightness for a few seconds. Next to her, Bucky is zipping his jacket before he is pulling something out of the bag Daisy had brought with her. Jane turns around looking for the woman, and sees the driver’s seat is empty. and when she looks outside the window, Daisy is leaning against the car looking around as if waiting for someone else to arrive.

Jane kneels on the seat and looks outside. There’s endless darkness as far as she can see, not even the moonlight seemed to provide enough light. She turns to Bucky.

“Is that-“

“Yeah” Bucky nods, “Desolation” 

Bucky steps out of the car and Jane opens the door, Daisy offers her a smile and then rubs her hands together, when she asks Bucky if he’s ready, condensation leaves her mouth. It’s a cold night, the long sleeved shirt she was wearing wasn’t doing a great job in sheltering from the cold, and when Daisy notices she offers her the jacket she’s wearing. Jane shakes her head softly.

“You’ll need it more than me” Daisy says. 

“You aren’t coming?” Jane asks.

“No” She chuckles. 

Jane takes the jacket and puts it on, zipping it to the clavicle. Her left arm protests when the thick leather rubs on it, and she takes her hand there like Bucky had done before. Daisy had told her what it was, what they had taken from her like they now did to Jane. She takes a shaky breath in and braces herself, she had never really thought about having children, after what had happened to her mother she wasn’t sure she wanted to have them, not even after her father had arranged a marriage for her. But now that it was not a possibility, she couldn’t help but wonder what if. 

“Perfect fit” Daisy tells her.

Jane blinks several times, snapping out of her thoughts, and then nods. When she puts the hands inside the front pockets, she finds the small iPod inside. The woman then gives her a small satchel bag, smaller than the big one inside the car for Bucky and tells Jane that it’s for her. When Jane is about to give her the iPod back she stops her.

“Keep it” Daisy says, “I got a few at home"

Jane smiles, “Thanks”

Daisy nods and walks pass her towards Bucky, who had been standing on the other side of the car for a few seconds. Jane could see him and Daisy needed a few minutes to talk, say goodbye since the woman wasn’t joining them, so she pulls out the iPod and puts the earphones on, but she doesn’t play anything. Bucky and Daisy talk quietly a few seconds, before Daisy smiles at the man and he smiles. Jane wasn’t sure if she had seen Bucky smile like that before, and she feels a little jealous when Bucky reaches for Daisy and pulls her into a tight embrace, kissing the top of her head. 

“I’m going to miss you” Daisy says pulling back.

Bucky smiles softly, “Me too” 

“Maybe one day…” 

“Maybe one day” Bucky nods.

Daisy smiles and her eyes are glistening, but she doesn’t she a tear. She starts walking towards the car and throws once last glance at Bucky before opening the drivers seat door. She calls Jane’s name and wishes her good luck in her trip, Jane can’t help but think that they might need a lot of it, before climbing in the car and turning the engine on. Bucky is next to Jane then, looking at Daisy as she drives away. He doesn’t say anything, and they stare in the direction Daisy disappears, the road back to Arcadia, until the lights of the car are tiny spots in the distance. 

“Here”

Jane turns to Bucky, who is offering her a card similar to the one she had seen him use in Haze. She takes it hesitantly. 

“I wasn’t sure you had one” He explains.

She didn’t. When she had been taken from Glassmere, Julia had got rid of it before they were separated, Jane had gone with Darcy and Julia had been taken outside, to the plaza alongside her father. Maybe they thought she was his wife, because they had both been place together and… Executed. She looks at the small piece of plastic and reads the information on it.

“Jane… Foster” She looks at Bucky, a quirks on her lips, “Thanks”

Bucky nods tightly.

“I put half my credits in it” He adds, “Just in case”

Jane swallows and nods. The debt she felt she owed Bucky growing in numbers inside her head. Once she got to The Cinders, she would ask Darcy help to pay him back somehow. Or maybe... The idea of maybe joining Bucky in his journey to Maraud crosses her mind, and she scolds herself for sounding so absurb. 

“Let’s go” 

Jane nods and when Bucky starts walking she’s right behind him.

 

* * *

 

Jane doesn’t say anything for the first twenty minutes. Bucky can hear her feet moving a fast pace behind him as he walks with long strides faster than her, despite carrying the heavy bag Daisy had left for them he didn’t feel tired, and Jane didn’t look tired either, perhaps because of the nap she had taken in the car or maybe the excitement of being free. Bucky hadn’t being able to sleep like he had said he would, looking outside the window for any sign of danger, of someone following them. Even when they had the darkness to hide, he couldn’t shake the feeling something could go wrong at any minute, although he could attribute that to his paranoia. Daisy had noticed but didn’t mention it, pressing her foot on the accelerator so she could drop them and go back to her home. When he looks up ahead, he can see they are reaching the limits, there’s a single tall tower between the limits to Arcadia and The Desolation, it emitted EMP that turned every car that tried to leave the colony without permission, it was empty, so even if some kind of alarm went off, they would be gone by the time someone arrived.

“Is someone waiting on the other side?” 

Bucky turns to Jane, who finally catches up next to him when he stops for a fraction of second to look at her. He continues walking. 

“Yeah”

Jane hums, “Who is it? Have you-“

“I don’t know” Bucky sees Jane frowns, “Coulson does, it’s a… group of smugglers of sorts, they help people trying to escape Arcadia” 

“Noble” Jane says quietly.

Bucky huffs out a small chuckle, “They also smuggle Supernova and things they steal from supply trucks from other colonies” he adds.

Jane tilts her head, “So they are like pirates” 

Bucky scowls, “No they aren’t like-“ he looks at Jane, “Sure, pirates” he nods. 

The woman chuckles.

“Where are we going after we reach Desolation?” 

“What do you mean?”

Jane shrugs, “I need to know where I’m taking you first”

Right. Jane was going to be his guide so they could get to their destinations safe and sound. He considers it for a second. 

“Which colony is closest?”

“Well, Catalean is a few weeks on the south” She points left, “Over there” 

Bucky nods, “What about Cinders”

Jane doesn’t answer right away, but she doesn’t seem to be thinking about where The Cinders is. For a second, the thought that maybe she doesn’t want to part ways so soon crosses his mind and a knot settles on his stomach, because his mind tells him that yes, if Jane asked him to let her join him wherever he was going, he would really like that. But he didn’t have a course yet and Jane did, Darcy was probably waiting in the Cinders for her, and getting Jane to her was the reason he had help her out of Arcadia. Jane says something but he didn’t hear, so he turns to find her standing behind him again. 

“What?” 

“Come here” She gestures him as she crouches. 

He glances around and walks towards her, resting one knee one the ground next to her. Jane reaches for his bag and zips it open, reaching inside for something, when she retrieves it, she spreads the old map on the floor and gives him a flashlight. Daisy had told him that inside the bag were a few essentials and maybe she had told Jane what they were. Jane wasn’t lying when she said she could point the way, because she stares at the map for a few seconds and then at him.

“We are he- Do you have a pen?”

He frowns and takes the bag off his back, puts the small flashlight between his teeth and starts looking inside. When he does find a marker – thanks, Daisy – Jane kneels and takes it from his hands. 

“Give me light”

He does.

“This is an old map” Jane says, “America is what the New World use to be called-“

“What about that?”

“Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia” Her finger pointing the map three times, “Not important right now” 

Bucky nods and Jane chuckles softly. She opens the marker and draws a big cross on the other continents. America is big, but she circles a rather small circle in the middle of “United States” and draws another X in the other countries. Outside of the circle she drew, she marks it with more black. 

“That’s Arcadia?” Bucky asks.

“No, that’s the New World” Jane explains, “ This black area is underwater – Global warming and all that”

Bucky frowns, “What’s global warming?” 

Jane raises an eyebrow, “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you” She says, “Anyways, these small ones are now islands, but we haven’t have contact with them”

“So the whole five colonies fit here”

Jane nods, “This is Arcadia, the biggest one” she says, “Then Glassmere is here” she moves upwards, “Roseburn, Ash Valley…” she draws a crooked line, and when she gets to the dark area where there was water now she looks at him, “Catalean” 

“We can’t cross Ash Valley” Bucky says grimacing, “There’s a reason why people call it valley of the death”

“We’ll go around it” she draws a curved line, “Crossing… Glassmere” 

Bucky sees her stare at the spot for a few seconds, before she clears her throat and draws another small circle.

“The Cinders is here” Jane looks at him, “Where Darcy is”

He nods, “What about Maraud”

Jane stares at him for a few seconds, before she looks back at the old, wrinkled now drawn on map. There’s a small spot she hadn’t drawn on, a little further than where she had said Catalean was but still near the ocean, she draws a large oval across the map’s surface and then looks at him again. Bucky had heard stories about Maraud, from the one who did believe it was real, those who did said it was an untouched by war area that harboured tall buildings from the Old World and new structures built by the people of the New one, technology old and new, it wasn’t a wonder why did people who got there didn’t leave. Or that it was very difficult to get there.

Bucky’s lips quirk and he looks at her, “Seems far” 

“You are not exactly able to go in a straight line there” She says, “But that’s why you need me” 

Bucky can’t help but offer her a smile, Jane's lips quirk but then she looks at the map again.

"After we get to Cinders... I will show you the safest way to Maraud"

Right.

She looks at him and he nods. Jane then folds the map and stands, he does the same, wiping the dirt off her knees and turning him to safe the map on his bag. 

“Why is Maraud so hard to find then?” Bucky asks once they start walking again.

“Unless you want to cross Ash Valley there’s no other way to get there other than rounding it” Jane says, next to him, “But… You have to be careful with the Abyss”

He frowns, “in that small space between the colonies and the Freelands?” 

“Yeah” Jane licks her lips, Bucky looks at her, “It’s what our maps said it was called” 

“Worse than Ash Valley” He asks. 

“I don’t know” She looks at him apologetically.

Bucky nods tightly and they continue walking. He didn’t want Jane to worry about that much about him, since they would be long separated once he took on… The Abyss and whatever was there. He would make it to Maraud if he didn’t have anyone left in Catalean that was, but Jane wouldn't find out either way. Suddenly, he feels Jane hand grip his wrist tightly and she stops walking.

“What is it?” 

“Can you hear that?” Jane turns, “Bucky”

Before he can turn he hears it. The angry sound of a car engine approaching them, and when he turns he sees two big lights coming their way. Jane tugs from his arm and his feet start running behind her before he realises what’s happening, he makes sure she’s a foot away from him, he needs to make sure she gets outside the limits first. But the car is getting too close to fast and when it’s close enough he hears someone calling him, a familiar voice that makes something inside his gut tells him that he has to stop, not because it’s too late, but because he has to face him. And he does, planting his feet on the ground firmly, Jane’s fingers slipping through his like water. She turns to him panting, sweat running down her temple. 

“Bucky, wha-“

“It’s Zola” 

Jane shakes her head, “We need to go!” 

“You go” His voice strained, “You go first” 

“Are you crazy? No!” She insists, “It’s-“

_They can’t catch both of us, Steve._

Bucky gives a step into her direction and grabs her face. Both hands on each side of her temples, feeling the cold sweat there, he makes her look at him, her eyes are wide in panic. Jane circles his wrist, gripping tightly like she doesn’t want to let him go, and he knows she doesn’t. He doesn’t either.

But he made himself a promise too once. Zola was to be the last man he killed before leaving Arcadia, and they were a only a few meters away. 

“If you stay then it’s not fair” Jane says voice wet, “It’s not fair” 

“Listen to me”

“No, Bucky, please just-“

“Listen, Jane!”

She bites her bottom lip tighly.

“You have to cross that tower, once we are outside he won’t follow” Bucky says, “And then we will both be gone” 

Realisation fills her eyes. Jane understands what he wants to do. Maybe she doesn’t accept it, he doesn’t think about that, but she understands.

Jane nods frantically, “I wait for you”

“You wait for me” Bucky nods.

Jane takes the bag off his back and looks at him for a few seconds, like she wants to say or do something else, before she sniffs and turns her back at him, running towards the tower and the limits of the colony. He looks at the same spot, until Jane gets lost in the darkness of the night and he can’t hear her feet on against the ground, it stays dark until the lights of the car parking behind him surround him completely and he takes a deep breath before turning.

The doors open and close. When the headlights are off, he sees Zola, followed by Bullseye, Caliban is inside the car but he stays there. And Bucky lets a deep breath out knowing it’s only one of them he has to fight.

“You ungrateful piece of shit”

Bullseye sneers, “I told you he was escaping!”

“Shut it!” Zola slaps him, and he sees Caliban inside the car flinch.

Bucky’s jaw works his teeth and he clenches his fists. 

“I’m going to kill only one of you” Bucky says, “So make it fast”

Zola barks out a laugh, “You are coming back! And we’ll forget about-“ 

“No” Bucky says finally.

Zola looks taken aback. Before he clenches his jaw and takes a deep breath in, nostrils flaring when he breathes out.

“Very well” He says, and gestures at Bullseye.

It takes Bucky by surprise. It’s too dark to see and can only tell he’s being attack when a knuckle makes contact with his jaw.


	20. All Along The Watchtower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading, the kudos, and the very nice comments.

He can feel the metallic taste of blood in his mouth when Bullseye punches him again. Bucky’s knuckles are sore, being tore open again, this time is Rumlow’s friend taking the beating. He gives a few steps back and turns his face to spit, trying to get the taste off his tongue. When he looks up at Bullseye he’s a bloody mess, he pounces over him and both fall on the ground. Bullseye’s weight off him after they roll in the dirt a few seconds. Bucky straddles him and punches him again and again, his naked fist crack against his throat, jaw and cheekbone, beating him until he sees more blood drenching his face. Bullseye can’t move anymore and Bucky leans in, baring his teeth like an animal before he warns him to stay down, and Bullseye does.

Bucky stands from the ground then, his muscles protesting when he stretches, and dusts himself off. He glances at Bullseye again and then at the spot where he hoped Jane had disappeared for some reason, so she hadn’t had to see him fighting again. He looks at his knuckles, the blood on his hands, and clenches his fists.

“See, Winter”

He turns to Zola. The fat man is walking towards him, clapping slowly like he did whenever Bucky won a fight. Bucky glares at him. 

“Don’t give me that look!” Zola sneers, “That’s what you are!“

“Here maybe” Bucky says, lisfting his chin, “But not outside”

Zola’s grin falls, his body tensing as he plants his feet on the ground. Bucky wants to tell him that he can go, they both could, but he would be lying and breaking the promise he made himself. The man reaches inside his long coat and Bucky sees Caliban flinching with the corner of his eye, he catches then the shinny handle of the gold dagger Zola carried around, and before Zola is able to move from his spot Bucky is infront of him in three long strides. He fists his shirt and slams him against the hood of the car, one hand reaching to grip his wrist and pull the hand holding the dagger. Zola shrieks in pain and struggles against Bucky’s hold. 

“Master!” Caliban yells. 

Bucky glares at the bald man, and Zola takes the chance to push his weight off him, kneeing him on the still tender side. Bucky would later admit to himself that Bullseye could have won a fight against him in the Pit. Zola pounces over him, eyes wide and angry as he swats the blade like a mad man before Bucky gets a hold of his wrist again, tightening his grip and finally diving Zola’s own blade in his torso. There’s no gasp of pain, and Bucky wonders if Zola can even feel the pain of being stabbed by his own hand, or at least the humiliation of a death that could have been prevented if only he had _let him go_. But it couldn’t have been, Bucky thinks, Zola’s death had to be then end of it all. Of his life in Arcadia.

Zola looks at him, “You- You-“

“It’s over” Bucky pants. 

Bucky sinks the blade further into him with one hand, holding him in place with the other, gripping his shoulder. Zola lets out a whimper, barely audible if he hadn’t been so close to him, and when he puts a shaky hand on Bucky’s shoulder, he leans back to look at him in the face. Zola tries to say something, his mouth agape, but nothing comes out. Bucky had hated Zola since he first met him. For years he imagined the moment Zola died, sometimes by the hand of others and sometimes by his own, like now and it wasn’t like he enjoyed as Zola’s body went limp, but he was glad he was dead, and Bucky knew wouldn’t be the only one. Bucky gives a step back and Zola falls dead on his feet. He throws the dagger to the ground and looks at Caliban, who has been standing behind the car door. The bald man’s eyes shift between Bucky and Zola’s lifeless body, and then his eyes fall on Bucky and he looks at him scared. 

“He- He made me tell him” Caliban stammers, “Stick wouldn’t talk, but Zola made me he-“

“I don’t fucking care” Bucky pants, his arm protesting at the cut, “Just- just leave”

Caliban nods frantically, “Thank you, Legionary, thank you!”

Caliban starts getting into the car but he stops on his tracks, eyes wide, as he looks behind Bucky. Bucky turns and sees Bullseye pouncing over him. The bigger man grips his jacket and jostles him violently, Bucky’s legs fail and he falls on his knees, feeling a stinging pain on his arm. When he looks, he sees the blood pouring from his left arm and wonders when had Zola managed to hurt him. Bucky looks up to glare at Bullseye and when he is about to give a step towards him another voice makes him stop. 

“Hey!”

Bullseye scowls and looks up. Bucky glances at Caliban before he turns too. 

“Back _the fuck_ off” 

Jane doesn’t take her eyes off Bullseye, as she walks towards them. Her hands should be shaking but they aren’t, and Bucky is pretty sure she’s holding the gun correctly and that she knows how to use it. The problem is that there’s a single bullet inside and Jane doesn’t know that. Unless… Unless she’s bluffing. When Bullseye laughs, taking his hand to his stomach and throwing his head back, Jane looks at Bucky and Bucky nods his head softly. He turns and looks at Caliban, and then at the gold dagger a few feet from him, next to Zola’s body.

“You are going to shoot me, pretty bird?” Bullseye chuckles, “Don’t be stu-“

“Don’t” Jane gives a step forward, “Put your hands up” she warns, cocking the revolver. The clinging sound echoing.

Bullseye’s grin drops, “I’m not finding this funny anymore, sweetheart” 

“I’m not fucking around!”

Bucky raises an eyebrow at her, and he sees Caliban raise his arms with the corner of his eye. Bullseye does raise his palms eventually, perhaps to humour Jane, because he doesn’t look fazed by the gun pointed at him, or the woman behind it. 

Jane speaks again, “Against the car” 

“What?”

“Your hands, asshole!” Jane yells, “Against the car!” 

Bucky sees Bullseye sneer before he complies, turning slowly and placing both hands on the hood of the car.

“Bucky, let’s go” Jane says.

He turns to Jane and nods. He stands slowly, gripping his arm, and shoots a glance to Caliban, who looks between a mixture of terrified and confused. He feels bad for the man, but he knows Stick wouldn’t do anything to him once he went back to Arcadia, he was after all an employee of Zola like the rest of them. He was the most harmless one of them all, after all, and right now that included Jane. When Bucky finally stands he turns to reach for the dagger, but Bullseye grabs his neck and Caliban gasps.

“Hey! Don’t-“

Bullseye turns to Jane then and Bucky can see her doe-like eyes widen in panic, all pretense of being in control drained from her face and posture, as Bucky feels Bullseye’s arm grip his neck tightly in a chokehold. He raises his hands and Jane takes a few deep breaths in, Caliban starts whispering something under his breath, like he’s praying, and Bullseye turns and shuts him up, tightening his grip around Bucky before he turns towards Jane again. 

“Give me the gun, bird” Bullseye says, “You aren’t going to shoot me”

Jane licks her lips, “Let him go”

“I can kill him right now” Bullseye warns, “You know I can” he gives a few steps forward taking Bucky with him, “You probably don’t even know how to-“

“Shut up!” Jane yells, “Let him go, now!”

Bullseye chuckles darkly and Bucky feels his breath against his ear when he leans in to whisper in his ear. 

“After I kill you” He says, “I’m going to take that bird for myself" 

Jane gives a step towards them but he shakes his head jerkily.

“Jane” Bucky says, a warning tone in his voice.

“Ah, Jane” Bullseye turns to her, “What a beautiful name”

The man twists Bucky’s arm painfully and her lets out a growl of pain, he sees Jane’s lip tremble and takes a few harsh breaths in and nods his head frantically. _Shoot Jane_ , he thinks, and Jane shuts her eyes close a few seconds before she opens them and looks into Bucky’s blue eyes.

He braces himself, closing his eyes tightly and then…

_Bang._  

The sound echoes everywhere, like a stone being thrown into a water tank. And Bucky feels the tight grip around his neck and arm loosen. She did it. Bucky opens his eyes and looks at Jane, wide brown eyes looking back at him. Bullseye’s body is on the ground behind him, the small hole where the bullet had entered in the center of his forehead, where he had a bullseye carved, dripping a thin line of blood. The irony. Caliban moves from his place and kneels between both dead bodies, looking up at Bucky with wide eyes, an odd grin splitting his face. When he tries to move towards Jane Bucky fists his shirt and pushes him away, Caliban gives a few steps back, putting the car between him and Bucky. 

“You shot him!” He yells at Jane, "You actually shot him!" 

Jane shakes his head, “No” she tells Caliban,"He did"

A man swaggers towards them, appearing from behind Jane like out of thin air or from the darkness itself, a big bright smile on his face and a sniper rifle on his shoulder. Jane lifts the gun again, this time her hands are shaking, and she gives a few steps backwards to stand between the stranger and Bucky. He stands, leaning against the car as he puts a hand on Jane’s hip, pulling her towards him.

The man simply laughs, raising his arms mockingly, "put that down, sweetheart” the grin then falls, “Unless you’re pulling that trigger” 

Jane lets out a shaky breath and, after a few seconds, does what she's told.

“Are you Yondu?” Bucky asks, Jane looks at him over his shoulder before turning to the man.

“The one and only” Yondu grins widely. 

Bucky nods tightly and puts a hand on Jane’s wrist, “It’s alright, Jane”

“t’s alright, honey, I ain’t hurting nobody” Yondu shrugs, “Else” he looks pointedly at Bullseye.

Jane nods and Bucky takes the gun from her. She turns and Bucky tenses when Jane pounces over him, hugging him almost too tightly. He pulls back, and Jane cups his face, wiping the dirt off his cheek with her fingers, before she leans in to hug him again. This time he tries not to flinch, taking one hand to hug her waist. Yondu chuckles walking toward them. 

“You” Yondu points at Caliban, “Ugly fuck, leave”

Caliban nods frantically as he stands and gets inside the car. He doesn’t seem to know how to make it work at first but when he does, he puts the car in reverse, doing a violent turn before he presses the accelerator and disappears in a cloud of dust. Bucky coughs and Jane covers her nose and mouth, Yondu simply nods at himself and when the car is too far for them to care he turns to them.

  
“Now... Is that beauty for me?” He asks whistling as he sees the gun up close, “Or can I take the woman with me?"

Jane takes a deep breath, clutching Bucky closer. Yondu snorts and his grin widens, showing a single gold teeth to them, and when he’s about to reach for the gun Bucky moves it away. Coulson had told him that Yondu was going to give him transportation in exchange for the gun. Solar powered cars were uncommon, but Yondu and his band of misfits recovered parts from old cars and merged them into a working one.

“Where’s the car?” Bucky asks.

Yondu raises his arms and gives a step back, “Very well” he winks at Jane, “Let’s go” 

Before he starts walking, he croutches next to Zola’s body and opens his mouth, Yondu reaches inside the front pocket of his trench coat and pulls out a pair of small pliers. He sees Jane wince with the corner of his eye when Yondu rips Zola’s incisors out, wiping them with the lapel of his coat before putting them inside his pocket. He has a limp when he walks pass them that Bucky hadn’t notice before and he remembers Jane asking if they were like pirates, he chuckles and winces when he feels a sharp pain on his arm, but he starts walking behind Yondu with Jane close to him. 

“Are you sure this guys is... All there?” Jane whispers in his ear.

Bucky shrugs slightly, “Don’t care”

Jane looks at him with a furrowed eyebrow, “Are you-“ 

“I’m fine” He cuts her off. 

Bucky hates the way Jane flinches, but doesn’t apologize and continues walking instead. After a few minutes in silence he starts feeling lightheaded, the blood on his left arm felt warm, which meant he was still bleeding despite it being just a slash, but there was a medical kit inside the black back Jane had been carrying and The Desolation was ten feet away from them. He just needed to hold on a few more minutes.

“Look” Jane points ahead. 

Yondu looks at them over his shoulder and smiles widely, “That’s my fleet, sweetheart” 

Jane smiles and turns to Bucky. Ahead, right after the limit, there were three big buses, and Bucky knew they were the band of misfits that Coulson had told him about. They were the ones who gave people everything they needed to face Desolation, he had made it. He tries inhaling, the rush of excitement leaving him short of breath, but he stumble with his own feet. 

“Bucky!”

He falls to his knees, taking Jane with him. Bucky blinks several times trying to focus his sight, it had gone blurry, unfocused, his tongue heavy and his mouth feels like it’s full of cotton when he tries to talk to Jane. Jane, who throws the heavy bag on her shoulder to the ground and calls his name, her hands on his face, neck and chest. His left arm feels numb, heavy like his legs under him and he remembers the gold dagger, but when he tries to tell Jane it’s impossible.

The blade was poisoned. Zola’s weapon of choice was poison. 

Jane’s lips move but he can’t hear anything, and then he sees Yondu behind her for a split of second. His whole body feels like stone, he can’t move, like when he has his night terrors. _Bucky needs help_ , Jane tells Yondu, who appears in his line of vision again with a pained expression on his face. He pulls Bucky up to his feet, and he can feel his shoes being dragged over the ground, the older man impressively taking all his weight, as they continue walking towards the outskirts of the colony. Jane, who has been holding his hand promises it will be alright, and then she lets him go, and her fingers slip through his own one by one. He doesn’t see Jane, but he can see the tower ahead, then next to him, and then it’s gone.

 

They are outside of the colony.

 

They made it to the New World.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_End of part I._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part II Coming Soon.


End file.
